Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-05

THE CONDITION OF TIE MASSES.

THE CONDITION OF TIE MASSES.
The great problem of the hour is, how to
elevate the masses. 1t is problem upon
which, undoubtedly, rests the future welfare
of the country Our population isincrcasing
IA IA enormous rate; our franchise IL con
staully becoming more accessible to all The
cmigraut of to-day is the voter Of tomorrow.
The lawlcss and dissipaed youth of ycstcr
day will cast n vote to-day that shall count
equally With that Of the mature and thought
ful political student. Our constitution pro-
vides for no degrees in the vote OF free
man. All are equal at the ballot box. The
will of the majority is the law of the lani.
Now there is coostint tendency for the
''masscs" of the people tina. is, the lover
classes-to become the majority. 1t is easier
to he ignorant than to be wise it is easier to
be poor than to be rich it is easier to b. vi
| cious than to be virtuous. Consequently,
there is this tendency to degradation -among
the greater number. 1t is tendency which
must he fought against necessarily. Lake the
ocean pressure on the bikes about Holland,
it never ceases. A little entrance here,
where the wall is weak and the watchman
asleep, and the land is doomed. There have
been instances when this wall of protection
around our own political and national pros
petty has been sippcd by the ocean vf ig-
nrrance and sensualty; times when the SO
cialism and nihilism and riotous lawessness
of our foreign population have almost stirred
up rebellion. But, fortunately, there have
lcen watchmen who were not asleep, and the
breach has been mended in tine.
Sill there is this dormant spirit of law
lessness long the masses. 1t shows itself
now and then in strikes and riots and pas
sionate allegiance with the viest dema-
Z ,gnes. 1t is a dangerous spirit, fostcred by
ignorance and poverty and degrading asso-
Citations. The only way in which ii can be
thoroughly overcome is by raising the CON-
lit on of the masses 1t ha, been merely
antagonized too long. 1t is time that some
thing should be done to eradicate it.
The testimony of Joseph Medill, editor of
the Chicago Tribune, before the United
States Senate subcommittee on labor, throws
ii strong light upon this entire question. Mr.
Medil has been connected with tho press Of
this country for thirty-hve years, and has
occupied position to observe with the best
advantage the condition and needs of the
masses Of the people. Poverty, without
doubt, has been the leading cause of the
degradation of the working classes. 1t note
worthy that just as soon as the poorer classes
in community attain to something like a
| comfortable competence, their moral and their
| Intellectual and social condition improve
There is much closer connection between
money and morals than some good Chris
tians are inclined TO admit. The impecunl-
Gus condition of the American laborer, as a
rule, according to Mr.. Medill, is his own i'm
providence. A large part of the earnings of
The artisan and the day laborer go for liquor
and Jbaccp aud the viest kinds of dssipa-
ton. Among the female portion of the la
boring class, it is the passion for useless
adornment which keeps them POVERTY strck-
en- and dependent. Mr.. Medill calculates
that the amount annually spent by the labor
ing class in drink is 800, 900, 900, and that
at least 5000, 900, 900 more is spent for Gig
ars and tobacco and questionable anuse-
ment. This is an enormous expenditure,
whcn the limited income Of the laburng
man is taken into consideration. Rich men
hardly feel as though they could pay tithes
OF all they possess, for other than living ex-
part of their annual income. But here is
the poor lnboring man, who earns barely
enough in all to keep himself and family in
comfortable circumstances, expendng not
only tithcs, not only tenths and twentieths
and iiftieths of his income, but all but
tcnths and tweutieths and fiftieths in
other than living expenses, in liquor
and dissipation and foolish speculation.
The sums annually expended by the labor
Ing classes in ways which admit Of absolute
ly no return would not only be sufficient, as
n general thing, tdkeep them in comfortable
circumstances but laid by for few years
with the accrung interest, would provide
them with nice homes OF their own and a
fund for rainy day.
OF course, there is another cure for the
chief evil to which the laboring classes are
Indebted for their poverty-intemperance
| This is the cure of legislative restriction of
the liquor traffic. Mr.. Medill believes in
high license and high rents for liquor sa-
looms, as means OF restricting this nefari-
ous traffic.
Imperfect sanitation and uncleanliness is
another cause OF tho degradation Of the
masses. Great public tenement houses in
cities are hot-beds OF disease and IMMORAL.
". The average proportion Of deaths to
births in New York city is 4 to 8, while in
London the rate is2 to s. New York city
has the worst tenement houses in the world
In The summer time the condition of these
purgatolial regions OF the great metropolis
is simply appalling
Mr.. Medill charges this state Of affairs in
large measure, also, to municipal dena.
gogues II IL their policy to run the affairs
of TIE city in such u way as to put the
most money possible into their individual
Of the taxpayers.
Finally, lack Of education Is one cause OF
The degraded condition Of the masses. We
bavc not enough schools Of the right Sol
for tie people. What the country needs,
according to Mr. Medill, is system OF in