Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-03-27
THE CAUSE OF POVERTY.
An Important Symposium OF PromI
nent Thinkers Ideas.

B l0e QueStlOU put 10 edCu WAS Inlk
"What, in your opinion. Is the chic
cause Of poverty IN this country at tn
present time, and why?" The respon
ses cover pretty much all the differen
reasons assigned for the prevalence o
poverty, and will furnish food 70
thought. We have condensed them q
much as possible.
Edward Atkinson, the versatile econ
omist, says: What? Ignorance and In
capacity. Why? Voluntary idleness.
Chauncey NJ. Depew says, "Lack o
self-confidence, gambling, rum, lat,
hours. Some men seem to be built Il
loaf rather than work"
Prof. Sumner, of Yale College, writes
Poverty Is accounted for as result
ing from misfortune or folly or vice. 1
we could establish the essential condi
tions, 1t is not impossible that we nigh
pursuade those who are now rich Il
make such a sharing with those whC
now have very small incomes, as, once
and for all to raise the whole society o.
Connecticut, for instance, out of pain
full inadequacy of income to substantial
comfort; but such notion can only be
put forward as an interesting specula
ton, never as practical proposition
The poet John Boyle O'Reilly, o.
Boston, says that to his mind poverty
seems to be tone of the necessary con
tingencies of civilization" and that oul
system Of legislation is largely respon'
sible for it.
George E. McNeill, the labor leader
gives his views as follows: "In SEN
tence would answer that poverty IL
caused by the un-Christian and unscien.
tific methods of the production and dis.
tribution of wealth. The methods by
which wealth is controlled, value ad,
ded. and distribution effected is un.
Christian because 1t is unjust and inc.
quitable, unscientific because 1t IL
wasteful of human life and material u
Ignatius DOnnelly of Minnesota says
that "the chief cause of poverty is
plainly the lack of property" To re-
move that he proposes, in the interest
of the general welfare" to increase
the rewards of labor and decrease the
accumulatiOns Of cunning. In other
words, to increase the wealth of the
millions and decrease the wealth of the
thousands. Vast fortunes are a source
of danger to the nations and threat to
republican institutions.
The Rev. DR.. r. s. Macarthur, pas
tor of Calvary Baptist Church, said:
"Whatever may be the cause ofpoverty,
we ought to give, and give wisely and
literally, to the poor. There is no duty
urged with greater frequency and great
er emphasis in the Old Testament or
the New"
The Rev. DIR. J. M. Buckley, editor
of the Christian advocate, has said:
Poverty is modern. There were no
tenment-houses in ancient times; not q
solitary ruin or an ancient tenment-
house has been found since the world
began Forty years ago there was no
need for real poverty in the United
States, except in very few cases. All
over the rural districts people exhibited
But with the advance of
civilization we have developed new
wants. Man could live and be happy
in the country in houses with unplas-
tered walls and open fireplaces. Coal,
and fuel are indispensable in
the city. Most of the things needful
for the poor have to be obtained by
money. In the country you can get
whatever you need by barter, but in
the city you cannot" ..
Prof. G. X. Adams of Cornell Univer-
sity writes: II do not know wether
there is anything in my mind worth
saying in regard to the causes of power
~. / think. however, we shall all be
obliged to admit that poverty is one of
The necessary contingencies of civiliza-
lion. In country where liberty pre-
walls the diligent and capable have the
opportunity Of rising above the indolent
and incapable. Where there Is perfect
liberty on the part of individuals, some
men will rise and others will fall"
Robert P. Porter, the Superintendent
Of the United States census, says that
The individual himself is almost always
for his own poverty. Lack
Of thrift and bad habits are nearly al
ways at the bottom of the trouble.
Prof. Andrews of Brown University,
Providence, r. l., says: mo truthful,
brief statement of the causes of poverty
Is possible. 1t is far from clear that
the deepest causesi thereof do not, in
spite of all our philanthropic wish to
The contrary, lie in human nature it.
self"
The Rev. DR.. McGlynn, the famous
Catholic priest, thus ex-
presses his ideas: "Poverty Is chiefly
caused by injustice, and the greatest in
Justice of our time Is the denial to men
Of their God-given birthright Of access
to the land and its natural opportuni-
lies. There would be little or no pow
erty anywhere If the monopolization of
the land by a favored few was prevent
ed, by the legal recognition Of the
truth enunciated by Jefferson, that the
land belongs in usufruct to the liv-
ing.'
DIR. William A. Hammond, of WASH
ington, ID. c., says that in his opinion
the chief cause of poverty at the present
time Ia civilization. Poverty never ex-
lists among utter barbarians. But with
refinement and education differentia-
tion begins and then poverty makes its
.r
Mr.. Henry Clews, the we'll known
Wall street broker, says: SIN nine
cases out of ten it's drink. The tenn
perance pledge is the best remedy 1
know OF"
Mr.. John ID. Rockefeller, Presiden
Of the Standard Oil Trust, and supposed
by some to have the largest income of
any man In the world, wrote: 'Yntem-
perance. That answers the question, y
Mr.. Russell Sage, another Wall street
operator, said: "Lack of thrift. Zoo
many drinks
Charles Plat, the Brooklyn multi
"The cause almost always
is intemperance. The cure? A substi-