Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-01-21


May its influences extend far and wide,
and may many be constrained TO listen to
that still small,voice, which teaches men
to love one another and to gIorify God.
Mr.. EDITOR:
While reading in a newspaper the 9TH
er day, was struck with the contrast Of
the two following articles. and could not
help giving way to a few serious refec-
tons = accusing and plying at the same
time the present state Of society, which
IS, to all appearances, growing worse cy-
cry year. Unless something be done by
our General and State Governments, we
may, in a little time, have to witness in
our own country what Europe has here
tofore and is at present Witnessing.
Please insert in your Journal those ar
tlcles, that those who readyour paper may
see and reflect for themselves. The first
reads thus: There are in New York
City, ll6 Moral, Beaero7ent and Literary
associations, 10 miscellaneous Schools,
90 Newspapers, so Periodicals, ITO In
surance Companies, 50 Banks, and nearly
400 different streets, avenues and places. -
To these | may add $50 or more
Churches, and thousands Of wealthy fami-
lies, living in prinooIy luxury. Now, sir.
in the same journal, on the same sheet,
side by side with the foregoing is the fol-
lowing article =
mo less than 1914 children acre taken
from the streets in Ne,o York to tile sere-
raj police station houses, during the past
sic months!"
This IS the beauty of civilization in
New York, and it would be well indeed
if such were the case in the Empire State
only. But we cannot take up a paper or
consult record without being frightened
at the increase of crime in many Of our
cities, towns and villages. Those who
read may have noticed that misery is on
the increase = that the " poor are getting
poorer, and the rich richer :" = that the
education of the poor is very much ne
elected, and that from such neglect flows
nearly all the crime committed.
If this is the progress of civilization,
which our great moral men and politi-
clans tell Us Of in long, aourishing speech
IS, God preserve Us from such progress
and enable US to work for It's decrease,
Most of US in the West have no idea
of the condition of our felIow-countrymen
in the older States. The poorest of US
are rich compared with thousands ofthem;
but if the proper steps are not taken to "a
rest those causes which have produced
such evil effects in other portions of our
country, ourselves or our children will.
in process of time, have 10 suffer the con-
sequences.
If men Of honest intentions and good
! feelings, men of wealth especially, would
look down and reflect a moment, they
would see that although our Institutions
declare all men equal, very little practical
equality exists, Those having risen above
poverty and want forget their primitive
position and those who never knew what
hardship was, are too apt to overlook the
miserios and Priyati0ns Of their fellow
/ beings.
But enough. 7 feel my inability to do
this alI-important subject justice. To con
clude, will express my belief that some
of the principles otthe reformers, if ex-
amined and understood, constitute the
only sure remedy for those abuses which
have so long proved upon the poor,
Yours, MEMO
ET-LE 4 at 0I~FCTLE-