Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-10
POVERTY AND WEALTH.

If it were true that idleness is source of
poverty, the capitalistic class would not be
possessed of any property, for they have been
idle for generations. Or is it not a fact that
those who work nowadays acquire nothing,
while those acquiring untold wealth do not
work.
Tine above paragraph is at present making
the rounds of certain class of papers, and,
though generally published without COM
ment, the fact that it is published at ali is
proof that the peculiar ideas contained in it
are popular with at least portion of the
people. This popularity, however, has Its
origin in a cursory reading and an unthink-
ing acceptance of its propositions 1t does
not contain a single statement made as such,
but is skillfully composed of supposition
and question, and while the former is in q
measure true, the latter is unqualifedly
false.
Idleness is a source of poverty, but as
idleness need be only temporary for man
who is willing to work, it has but a small
influence on the financial condition of the
hnman race. There is almost always work
for those willing to labor, though every man
may not be able to secure perfectly con-
genial employment; and the man who re-
fuses to accept a situation because he does
not like the particular business has no one
but himself to blame for empty pockets.
The law of labor is as old as the race upon
which it is supposed to rest as punish
ment, and it is law that carries its own
penalties These penalties do not, or rather
need not, fall on any but those who break
the law, all statements to the contrary not
withstanding. He who will not work should
not eat, and if his relatives or friends are
satisfied to- support him in ldleness, any
sufferings which they may endure are moth
ing more than they have right to expect.
This may appear to be selfish doctrine, but
it is not SO much selfish as it is sensible.
That the capitalistic class is idle can be
denied without fear of contradiction. The
life of the capitalist, at present, seems to be
one of unremitting activity, and so long as
his activity is confined to the legitimate
promotion of business enterprises he will be
more of public benefactor than is the man
who attacks him merely because he has
wealth. Of course, if he uses his capital for
the purpose of crushing competition and Sc
curing the passage of laws favorable to HIM
self alone, his action will properly become
the subject of public censure. But it is the
function and within the power of citizenship
to correct tendencies in these latter direc.
tions.
With regard to the question about those
who work nowadays acquiring nothing, it is
probably no more than truth to state that op-
portunities for acquiring competence, if
not wealth, were never better than they are at
present. Labor, as compared with years
past, is relatively better PAID, and comforts
are in greater variety and probably on the
whole cheaper With moderate economy
nothing short Of sickness or like misfortune
should prevent most people from putting by
something for the rainy day. There are
also various safe and profitable methods OF
investment for savings and many workers
become in greater or less degree capitalists
themselves.
People who do not work cannot acquire
untold wealth. They may inherit it, but if
they do not use care and judgment in its
management they will die poorer than they
were born, and so with their descendants
until the wealth has vanished. The exer-