The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-11-15

from the estate and from the neighbor-
hood. He kept telling his friends that
some day he would get what was due
him from the Bulwer-Lytton estate.
When Owen Meredith came to the title
and was home on leave of absence as
English ambassador to France, this
lsborer met him on the road one day.
''You are Lord Lytton, l believe" he
said respectfully.
Eyes"
Then, If you please, should like you
to pay an account which has been due
me for long time"
Lord Lytton looked at the account, and
at his request the man told the whole
story. The poet wasvery much affected
and disturbed. Then he said:
"Well, will do what I can to make it
up to you"
He was as good as his word. He built
house at the gates Of the park, put the
man and his family into it and gave it to
them, rent free, with other perquisites,
30 that he was entirely comfortable for
the remainder of his days.
DUTY OF THE RICH.
II our powerful classes Of today would
only meet the suffering and despair Of
the present with something like this spir-
it, there could be but one end Of every
issue-peace and fraternal helpfulness.
Third-The issue for which the larger
number struggle and the one fraught
with more serious possibilities than any
other is the right to a tolerable existence
for the masses of the people. 1t is
question of debate as to whether the con-
ditiou of the working masses is sbso-
lutely better or worse than in the past
generation. Some affirm that the work
ing people have the best of the advance
of the civilization of this period.
But so high an authority as E. Benja-
min Andrews, president of Brown uni
versity, declares that sin many respects
the toiling masses are no whit better off
today than in England four centuries
ago." and that "the passing of this age
of industrial advance and Of worldwide
land utilizations, with SO slight gain IN
the ordinary comforts of life on the part
of the laboring man, goes far to preclude
all hope OF great improvement for him
under present economic conditions" !"
While it is a question for debate as to
whether he has actually improved his
condition, it is no question for debate
whether the life of the rest Of mankind
has advanced.
Under these circumstances the COndi-
ton Of the workingman Of today is be-
coming for him more and more an intol-
erable one. He has learned to read and
to think. He has hundred wants and
aspirations now where he had one hum
dred years ago. What his father was
content with he will not accept. He
lives in bigger world Forty years ago
the postofice Of Great Britain carried
88,OO0,O00 newspapers. Now it carries
100000, 600 annually. The total number
Of papers issued in America is estimated
at 3,868, 900, 900 annually, or "a copies for
every inhabitant. The masses Of tho
people now read, and this for the first
time in the history of the world. The
preacher Of the past generation could
reach a few hundred people a week.
The printed sermons of this pulpit reach
millions. So in every department Of
teaching and even in greater degree.
Dr.. Strong in his recent book graphically
says: 1--WE shall not be surprised that
reading has operated as an unequaled
stimulus upon workingmen when we re-
call how promptly it quickened the up
per classes in the sixteenth century.
l.. Il II L.