The Labor enquirer., 1885-04-25
HORACE GRElfI'Ll.EY.
The Socialism Of this Great
Humanitarian as Told
! 4 .s by Himself. VI fas

The Effects Made Upon a Great
Mind by the Sufferings i
Of the Poor. 81
AtLettsr Half Socialism and Half Com.
Imunism which Would be All SO.
Il cfalisn II Written To-day. 81. I
The winter Of IS37-SS, though happily
mild and open till far into January, Was
one Of peryading destitution and suf.
fering in our city, from paralysis Of
business and consequent dearth of en-
ployment, The liberality Of those who
could and would give was heavily taxed
to save from famishing the tens Of thou
sands who. being needy and unable to
find employment, first ran into debt so
farasthey could, and thenceforth must
be helped or starve. For, in addition to-
| all who may be said to belong here,
| legions Of 1aborers, servants, etc.. are
annually dismissed in autumn from the
farms, country-seats, and watering places
of the suburban districts, and drift down
to the city, whence they were mainly
hired i, vaguely hoping to find work here,
which small part Of them do the rest
living on the good nature, of relatives,
if such they have here, or on credit
from boarding houses, landlords, or
grocers, go long as they can; and then
make their choice between roguery and
Ebeggary, or change from this or that. Of,
take them mixed, as chance may dictate.
Since the general diffusion of railroads
and the considerable extension, Of our
manufacturing industry, business is far
more equable than it was, even in pros
porous times, thirty years ago !; but
winter is still season of privation and
suffering to many thousands who live in
tolerable comfort through the warmer
seasons. To say that 10000 young per-
sons here annually take their first
lessons in debauchery and CRIME would
be to keep quite within the truth and,
while passion, ignorance and miseduca-
ton ruin their thousands, I judge that
destition flowing from involuntary idle
ness sends more men and women to per-
dition, in this city, than any other cause
-intemperance possibly expected. ~
5d.aaA that winter in tho Sixth ward
then, as now, eminent fort filth, squalor,
rags, dissipation, want and misery. A.
public meeting of its citizens was duly
held early in December, and an organi-
zation was formed thereat, by which
committees were appointed to canvass
the ward, from house to house, collect
| funds from those who could and would
spare anything, ascertain the nature and
extent of the existing restitution, and
devise ways and means for its systematic
relief. Very poor myself, lscould give
no moneyyor but a mite so l gave time
instead, and served, through several
days, on one of the visiting committees.
I thus saw extreme destitution more
closely than had ever before observed
it. and was enabled to scan its repulsive
features intelligently. l sawtwo families,
including six or eight children, burrow-
ingIin one cellar under stable prev
to famine on the one hand, and to YER
min and cutaueous maladies on the
other, with sickness adding its horrors
to those of polluted atmosphere and a
wintry temperature. l saw men who
each, somehow, supported his family on
an income of S. per week or less, vet
who cheerfully gave something to miti-
gate the suferings Of those who were
really poor. Isaw three widows, with
as many children, living iu an attic on
the profits OF an apple stand which
yielded less than 81 per week, and the
landlord came in for full third Of that.
But worst to bear of all was the pitiful
plea of stout, resolute, single young men
and women: I'VE do not want aims;
we are not beggars we hate 10 sit here
dav by day idle and useless help US to
work-we want no other help why is 1t
that we can have nothing to do H"Ni'.! u.
l pondered these scenes at intervals
throughout the next two or three years,
and was impelled thereby to. write for
the New Yorker-I think, in the winter
of 1S39-4O-a series Of articles entitled,
"What shall be done for the Laborer 7"
believe these attracted the attention Of
Mr.. Albert Brisbane, young man OF
liberal education and varied culture, q
| native Of Batavia, New York, which he
still regarded as his home, but who had
travelled widely and observed Thought
fully making the acquaintance in Paris
| of the school Of Socialists called latter
their forunpderj St. SIN siRi1 oonianss, and that
also of Charles Fourier, the founder of a
different school, which had been dis
tinguished by his name. Robert Owen,
by his experiments at New Lanark and
Ibis New Views. Of Society" was the
| first in this century to. win public atten-
tion, to Socialism, though Il believeJ
Fourier had not only speculated, but
written, before either Of his co-laborers.
But Owen was an extensive and success =
| full manufacturer St, Simon was 9
! soldier, and the heir of a noble family !;
~ -. - 1a.,.,tr . y r,oor - clark resaryed