Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-02
CITY AND DISTRICT.
THE SOCIAL PROBLEM.
Rev. Mr.. Pentecoss See. Hope Only In
Henry Georges Theory.

ms ADpREss LAST NIGHT BEFORE THE ASr1-PovERTY
socIKIY-FROPosEp SOLUTIONS OF The PROBLEM IN
WHICH HE HAS NO FArH-HE OUTLINES THE DOC
IRISE or TIE LAND REFoKxERs-
Anan with a pleasing lace, a long, dark nous
fache and pair OF eyeglasses, stood on the plat
form at @. A. r. Han last evening and talked
about the social problem This was the Rev. Hugh
o. Pentecost OF Newark. His figure was straight,
but wen made, his black Prince Albert coat any
thing but clerical IN cut, and his whole appear
ance differed from the conventional notion as TO
how n preacher should look. He has a clear voice,
OF pleasing quality, and speaks earnestly and with
NO attempt at rhetorical flourish His audience
last night was OF respectable size. IL included
many who are recognized as leaders among Knights
OF Lator and persons connected with different re-
form projects The address OF Mr.. Pentecost was
delivered under the auspices OF the Anti-Poverty
Society Of Washington, which held It's first public
Mt H. j. Brown, the president Of the society, be-
fore introducing the speaker made . few remarks
outlining the purposes OF the society, whose work,
he said, would be non- partisan and educational,
devoted the distribution OF the literature OF the
angle-tax reform movement and 70 individual
Believe that the reform for which they were striv-
ing was not distant. Already, he said, there were
this doctrine. and at least twenty Representa-
0ves. One OF these Representatives had told him
that he underessima p the number; there were
weeks q member OF the House would rise In his
place and speak for land reform
MIR. PKNTECosTs LECTURE
Rev Mr. Pentecost devoted the opening mart OF
his lecture 10 setting out what the ALtt-Poverty
Society meant By poverty. They did not seek, he
said, TO abolish what he called voluntary indi-
vidual poverty, that which was due TO idleness.
drunkenness or other individual faiings, but that
poverty which Is forced upon the masses, the out
come Of the existing social system. He gave ng-
pres IN support OF q statement that under the
present system 1t is possible only for the few to
rich. aud that the N
erty. he spoke not only OF abject distressing pow
eriy. He considered that man poor who could not
ared In him by the civilization OF the nineteenth
century. HIS mind or soul had desires as wen as
prived of any part Of the compensation due
him for what his hands and brain produced
when man VINO worked earnestly and IL inSustrs
ouSy all his life was unable TO provide for all the
Reasonable desires OF his body and his soul His
poverty, he said, was not due TO governmental
policy. IL existed alike In Russia where the gov
crnment was tyranDical In form; in Germany and
and IL the free republics OF France and the Unit
States. 1t was found In highly protected Germany
In the United states, with their tarin laws ana in
free-trade England II had nothing to do with the
tafin question
RExKpIzs PROPOSED.
Mr.. Pentecost then proceeded TO speak OF the
various proposed solutions Of the labor problem.
lie spoke with some contempt OF the advice given
by pulpit and press TO the poor worklngmen TO be
resigned The pulpit held out to them, ne said,
The satisfaction OF knowing that in the other
world the condition affairs viii be exactly re-
Nersed- lie claimed, also that economy practieed
by the masses instead Of bettering their condi-
tion, would be ruinous. II would be the death Of
trade and commerce. Mr.. Pentecost also claimed
that temperance would not bring about a better
condition OF affairs from an economic point OF
view. The tendency was 10 force wages down TO
The life line When men curb their desires and
become able TO live on less, wages would go down.
lie Claimed also that great public charities from
an economic point OF view did more harm than
good In New York he said It was found that the
women who cut below the already miserable
wages OF the sewing women were those who re-
ceiyed assistance from charitable organizations
and were enabled thus TO do work little cheaper
He argued also that trades uniopism Strikes and
boycOtts were futile agencies TO bring about the
needed reforms. Wages, he argued, followed nat
urai laws and no artificial methods could produce
He sketched also the plans of the philosophical
anarchists and the state socialists, concluded
toenect the proposes reforms For his part he
could not wait 50 long.
TUE LAND REFORM.
There had come into the Held q radical PROPOSE
ton which he believed offered a solution of the
dfmculty. AS he believed st. Paul had been in
spired 70 found the Christian Church, so he be-
problem Henry George had begun, he said by
asking questions, by inQuiring what 1t was that
prevented an equitable distribution of wealth.
Neither capital nor labor got its just share: the
landlord received the lions share He elaborated
the Theory that what aman produced was bis what
was produced by the community, such as the rem
tai value Of the land, belonged TO all In common
In the wrongful monopoly OF land all other monop-
rooted When the land monopoly was DESTROYED
the other monopolieS would fall They did not he
propey Whst tbey nronosea 70 u 10 MS ngnts IN
the added yalue-the unearned increment-which
Is , Psodqeed Dy the community, and 70 do away
coces should be taken for taxes.
The Cornell Dinner.