I have found the following, which doesn't totally match your song but is close:

Way of the World

Now kind friends, if you'll now pay attention, and list to the life I have led,
A story to you I will mention, if unto your ears it will hang.
I've travelled this wide world to speak of and it's not only known by a few,
That troubles that are in old England, and the trials that we'll have to go through.
So you see what is done by the slumber - there are people who are in great number,
Who are starving and dying of hunger, but you'll find that's the way of the world.

There are thousands that are out of employment and daily they wander about,
Stealing some bread for their children, they'll get sent to jail for a month.
If the rich man, well, he is caught stealing, they'll just say, " That's another great crime."
They'll say, "It's an unnatural feeling," and they'll let him get off with a fine.
But you'll see that this world's very funny, for the rich man his life is all honey,
But a poor man's nowhere without money, but you'll find that's the way of the world.

Last night as I walked passed a workhouse, a young girl with a babe at her breast,
She gazed on my face with pity, She was in a sad distress.
She said her man had deserted her and left her this wide world to roam,
Caused her mother to die broken hearted, but you'll find that's the way of the world.

Last night as I walked through the city, a young girl with cigarlets I met,
She gazed on my face with pity, she was in a sad distress.
I asked her the cause of her troubles - she said, "I've been sent out to beg,
To beg for my father who beats me and leaves me in tatters and rags.”
So you see what is done by the drinking, while mother is at home thinking,
While father is out and is drinking, but you'll find that's the way of the world.

The phrase 'The way of the world' seems to have first been coined by the playwright William Congreve (1670 -1729), when he produced a play by that name in 1700. There are at least two Victorian broadsides that carry the title, one beginning 'The ways of the world I'm going to review', the other beginning 'As you travel through life, if your (sic) wealthy you'l (sic) find', but our present song has eluded us. John Howson and Mike Yates have heard it sung by several country singers over the years, including versions from Gypsies Levi and Derby Smith, both from Surrey (Mike Yates unpublished collection). Viv explains in her introduction that the words were written down by her father who could have learned them from a Gypsy family (the Bucklands) and her mother gave her the tune which she remembered from her family singing it.

Song transcribed by John Howson
Song notes: Mike Yates

via http://www.veteran.co.uk/vt153cd_words.htm