Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-04-20
ox;nk Habit Productive Of
,z;oess, Improvidence,
and Wastefulness.
,,.,,ov that Rum Takes from q
.u,s Pocket Is the Least Of Its
Robberies.
r,n,a;rinc the Will, It Takes Also
His Power to Replace the
Money.
From the Voice.

rp it. Try IL. AoAo o.o "oASo sAuSo
honest poverty, but honest or Dis
att is bad enough in all conscience,
any man or society who addresses
slf ' or itself to its eradication is en-
in A noble and mucn-needed work.
-, help every anti-poverty society
ID and give it wisdom in choosing
ale and conservation in working
racing the causes and applying the
for poverty, three things enter into
1rratiou: l. The advantages nature
he,tosed on the community under
liberation, such, for instance, as fer
Of soil. mineral wealth, manufactur-
facilities, commercial advantages. 2.
cnorsc,er of the individual. 5. The
,.ria, conditions as determined by
and legislation.
4 one can attribute poverty in this
L,trv 10 INV niggardliness of the Creator
H., matter Of natural resources. We
! witnjp our nations bounds oil that
can desire or mind conceive to make
{o,nerous country-all kinds of wealth,
kinds of comforts, and all kinds of
|,ities for their distribution. This factor
!
sss of poverty in America.
he character of the individual is beyond
NJ the most important factor that en-
into consideration. ALI philosophers
!, solomon down have recognized it.
.p,oyerbs," whose wisdom twenty.
Ii centuries have not exhausted, speaks
Iicitly OF poverty in six cases, end in
iptimates the cause. Each time the
te is assigned to the individual HIM
it being drink in the one case and
ness in the other three cases. David
Jared in his old age that he had never
In the righteous forsaken nor his seed
ring to- bread"
i through the Bible are similar init
Gus OF the importance of the indi-
kal character as cause OF poverty
the sole cause, but one of prime inn
lance. In point of fact, we know that
almos; impossible for laws to be so
b IS that individual thrift, industry,
eace. and enterprise may not accumu-
enough to prevent penury. patience
perseverance conuuer all things"
tue Latins. and the Jews have in all
oas and ages, under NIL manner OF in
lt,ons, and under laws the most OPP
bs;ye imaginable, managed to amass
.tn without limit. individual traits
take man to competence in spite of
worst laws; but the best of laws will
II take a man or community to pros
w if he necessary traits are lacking in
Individuals.
We should by law tomorrow distrib-
he wealth of the country equally
~, the inhabitants, it would not
be. the trait, of individuals nor pre-
the sure and speedy recurrence of
Ety, il q brief time, to the shiftless,
aud improvident. Howard Crosby,
passionate of twenty-five years in
York City, during which he has been
Of the foremost figures in practical
-!y work. says that he has never
nd case of destitution not trAceable
Emprovidence, and in three cases out
four the improvidence was the result
[ntempelance. Mr.. Beecher, it will be
(embesec, brought down ON his head
Fw wears ago storm of unpopularity
declaring that with the exception of
ew rare cases of misfortune and de-
pity, any man who passed the age of
y in this country without having ban
"a the wolf from the door had himself
lame. We give the testimonies for
+ they are worth. Perhaps the truth is
stated III these cases, but it is not over
Eas it to say that above and beyond all
p causes of poverty is that which lies
ndlvldual character. Nothing can ever
Ilsh poverty from the world that does
s'nke at this cause. Laws that merely
Just industrial conditions cannot do it.
!azy man will remain lazy whether rent
AID to a landlord or into the public cof-
wee and lust will not be eradicated
Ele highest protection or the freest trade.
Snef oinetalism nor monometalism will
make an lmprovident man provident.
IS no: saying that such laws can do
lUn9; they can do much, but they can
'oneh the most important cause of pow
which lies back of external conditions
Ne individual himself.
mat nat can prohibition effect at this point?
xef another question first: What
Is there more productive of lazlness,
evidence, wastefulness, and self
'senee than the drink habit? We
IL quote this page full of testimonies
as rolnt-testimonies from the keep
AIMS houses, from officers of char
'.saint'2atlons,s from prison officials,
ponce magistrates. But we prefer to
y 20 every readers experience. He
oe Il blind man who has not seen
and over again the results of drink on
lofal qualities of men and women. No
haoit can be named so utterly sub
'7 OF those qualities that win compe-
=, scientists like DR.. Maudsley, in
I %. Diseases" DIR. Ribot. of France,
richardson, and DR.. Willard Parker
.lme and again pointed out that one
10 most inevitable effects of alcohol is
dnpalfnent of the will. The money
~ ;. taxes from mans pocket is the
" Its robberies. 1t takes also his
-. 70 replace the money. Brain cells.
:? -, ISSUES, muscles are all impaired,
IL the end the victim becomes phys
n Nc mentally, and morally utterly in
p ;y!st as a wage Garner. It is because
al '' n,a strikes at this cause of indi-
Wv u; !. that as remedy for
IT, II stands forth the unapproachable
,. ne single tax will not do this.
,A maue or protection will not. Gov
6s La va! control of railroads will not.
o, nHd thing to be considered in the
n cu,. Is me effect of legislation and
his r rhsms. We can touch but slightly
B tho .nase mere and now. 1t is at this
n ano . george theory makes its claims
cIaim" But granting all he says
pinan s' TINS fact stands out in bold
E,nh n l' that his reform must come
I'll legislation, and legislation must
how 2esh Legislatures. We affirm that
-sa ps,ess to look for any widespread,
on ~. reform through our Legisla-
mt, us ~ or any other important ques-
has bo we grip of the saloon on poll
great 49,, broken. 1t takes great minds
but n ae 1 to grapple with great ques-
e LIZ; ~ long as the saloon dominates