Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-12-12
PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE.
SEINE Sentiments from the New York
Gb-Prysr Endorsed by Lady OF the
Nhecitn Bepeyolent Association.

observer Endorsed by - Lazy oi tsie
HhecitnE Bepeyolent Association.
To tie Eii,,r Of t5c Rrgy,,r.
Appointment lady and Officer of the
Wheeling Benevolent Association re,
quests me to send you the following eX-
tract from the New York Observer FOL
publication. While one or two Of its
propositions will be considered, by
son ., ~ rather sweeping in their char.
acter, ali will see that it should impress
upon the Association the Importance o.
exercising y very wise Discrimination
in the beStowment of lis charities,
uevey forgetting that its motto should
be, prevention rather than cure"
JACOBUS.
Now, VIZ must bear in miGd tina. to
oe OF any use to the poor We have TO
contend with their natural indoleAce,
| and often with their vices.
IaEiBsss Il the Root OF Poverty.
Wee naturally follows lsZIuess. The
difference IN the natural constitution OF
u.vu - - obvious aud great as 10 De
know sad read 10y all. One man is
u. O.: energy. push, uiu.k, force. His
own brother, brought Gp under the
same moral aud Phy-iCa! influences, i
! Wvaf, lazy, T3ie ana inefficient. Fue
ti,st fights his way nu and up, over
comes obstacles, gets ahead, earns his
living, lays up money, and supports his
lazy, shifiie>s, complaining, intemper-
lot
ter, the lazy one, il called unfortunate,
i an object Of pity, a dead weight on
society, and his pO5terity swell tue ranks
Of tie miserable poor, whose care Is the
great, perplexing and fearful problem
OF Ihe day.
Tie tendency. Of modern means to
help the poor is toward socialism or
governmental support. This is not
readily believed To be 3 fact. But If
We read the periodicals which discuss
labor questions, or listen to the speeches
made at reform dinners and mass
meetings where the relations of EN-
ployer and employed are considered,
We will get proof enough. What Is the
meaning OF the proposal to make the
government the proprietor OF all land
and let it out TO everybody? Net this
absurd and fearful proposal is hailed
with applause at public banquets and
monster meetings. AnG We beg this
downward march by our system ri pub
lie education, which Is the glory aud
boast of our high civilization. We give
the children of the State, the poor and
the riCh together, as We ought, az cd
yIiu AIRY education. That is well. But
avLO farther and then We fare worse.
We give them such al education be
S..bu sad above the primary, - every
i.Cy kuOwS will ettectualiy disgust
them with those honest and manly
l. annual labor pursuits by which their
ia hers aud mothers earned their daily
U.taa This Is the testimony Of all who
,NaI. ne the sCuOOl and LABOR question.
Enr ~ government To give the luNur-
ies Of education to the people il more
unjust than IL would be for government
- give the lazy multitude their daily
bres! at the expense OF the industrious
and frugal But if the higher gift of
education Is bestowed ST the expense OF
the State, why should not the cheaper
Gift Of food and clothing be disturbed at
public charge? This the masses of the
poor are demanding already. 1t is the
fayoTite cry OF the socialist that the
State must provide work for the million
and that means food. In this world
the lazy go TO the wall, and industry
wins bread and wealth. Hence the
lazy sre always clamoring for aid; they
want to be taken care of because they
sre too lazy TO take care OF themselves.
They are the men who want an equal
divI-.ou OF property, having nothing OF
their own Ia bc DIVIDED.
N- would hcgiu the solution Of the
toyt!ty problem 10y reforming the plan
81 instruction in our public schools, Civ
il., rlsce to two elements that are now
sln.o~t ignured-mOraL-aud industrial
education. In our dread OF Sectariaa
instruction We have driven OuL that
measure of moral education which is
,,,e,tisi to the formation Of good
cltizru's character. The child should
bc educsted in those elementary primer
pies of morality which are fundamental
IN al the religions Of civilized people
The State, tO protect itself, should MAKE
this tie first OBJECT OF attention, the Su'
meme work Of its paid instructors
Morality is before reading or arithmetic
in the qualities of good member nt the
slate. Aud in the second place comes
tie knowledge of some uSetu! art 10y
white the growing or grown VI
may I've able TO support himself
sud contribute to tue common
veal. Among a people thus educated
poverty would he found only as mjsfOr
/ iune sud vice are found. Poverty j. 8
/ vice when il is the resul: of lazineSs, and
! there will be less of it when all wher
all children are taught in school that il
is wrong to be idle and are supplied
with the means of earning their Owl
living. -.
/ For it is not true that the way 20 self
| support is shut against any. In thi:
country every honest man may find
employment and even, good wages
There is hardly a trade or pursuit, in
which manual labor is required, whert
hands are not wanted. UnprincipleG
men combine to prevent bosses from
teaching apprentices, seeking to lesser
the number ofskilled laborers that they
may fatten on the starvation of Others
Such unionists are bad men and deserv,
prison. All who are disposed
to labor may have work and wages
And this solves the problem o
poverty. The wisest ofbooks has salt
that he who will not work shall no
eat. Our charity must provide for tn,