Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-03-26
CAUSES OF POVERTY.

Z
. ''The chief cause Of poverty is tn
lack Of property and he adds tina
this lack is due to ''the unequal an
unfair distribution Of property
Chauncy NJ. Depew, the railroa'
king and after-dinner orator, says:
Lack Of self-confide1ce is often th'
cause Of failure. Many men seem tS
have no faith in themselves, conse'
quenily no assertiveness, no indie
pendenee, no pluck and no push,
They seem to be afraid to stand up
and speak out for themselves and
preferto lean on others. Poverty in
such cases is inevitable.
Robert P. Porter, superintendent
Of the census, thinks lack Of thrift
is the principal cause Of poverty.
Prof. c. X. Adams, Of Cornell
University, says:
We shall al be Obliged to admit
that poverty is one Of the necessary
contingencies OF civilization. In q
country where liberty prevails the
diligent and capable have the oppor-
unity Of rising above the indolent
and incapable. Where there is perfect
liberty on the part Of individual men
some Will rise and others Will fall.
This is the result partly of superior
intelligence, partly OF inability, and
partly Of error, but there can be no
possibility of removing poverty, ex-
cepting by a coarse oflegislation
which will take away opportunities.
Hence it will probably always be
found that where there is the largest
liberty Of individual action there will
be the largest inequalities among
men.
Henry Clews, the nervous, in
cisive writer, and financier, whose
every faculty Of mind seems devoted
10 the subject Of finarce, SAYS:
"Drink, that one word, tells the chief
cause Of poverty at the present time in
this country. OF course, mean ex-
oessive drinking. the kind that leads
to habitual drunkenness, and by slow
degrees paralyzes a man, mentally
and physically. In this country, with
its magnificent resources awaiting
development, and its abundant oppor-
tunities in every direction to devotion
abilities and win success, there is no
excuse for poverty. But for the drink
evil there would be no poverty to
speak Of"
When Mr.. Donnelly says that
poverty is caused by an unequal and
unfair distribution Of wealth, he
merely describes a condition with
out touching the reason for it;
though what he says is obviously
true. Mr.. Depew's opinion, that a
lack Of aggressive qualities is cause
OF poverty, embraces truth. but it is
700 narrow to cover more than I
small portion Of the ground. Mr..
Porter's statement that lack of
thrift is a great cause Of poverty, is |
true, but thst it also is too narrow
to ever the ground is shown by the |
lives Of millions who are fed and |
clothed only by their unfisgging in |
lustry and skill in making a little |
money go a long way. That polit-
ical liberty Of the masses is neces-
sarily n cause of poverty among
them, as stated by Mr.. Adams, can
only be true when that liberty in
,ludes a disposition to practice op-
preston and wrong.
In answer TO Henry Clews It is
sufficient TO refer to the millions
Fho spend a lifetime without
moving what it is to be COM
'Ortably fed and clothed, who
ret never taste intoxicants. The
great financier is mistaken. He has
not touched the chief cause Of pow
.rty. though he has named one OF
he leading forces that produce it.
While there is truth in what each
Il the gentlemen above quoted
AVE said upon the subject, nei-
her Of them, nor all Of
hem combined, have disclosed
he principal reason for poverty.
INJUSTICE is the great cause Of pow
'rty-
The mighty who have shown
ride in exercising their power to
'ppress, will be reached after and
Ivy the operation of Jus
ice until they are overtaken; and
ne poor, who have been made their
.ictiuis, viii be made to share in
be stores Of wealth which the
arth contains. Every true cause
( poverty which philosophy can
ssign is generally traceable to the
bsenee Of Christian morality; and (
philosophy were as wise as il {
hould be, it would reach that there
time fixed beyond which inius-
ce viii not be known among men !
4 the earth.