The sun., 1893-12-24

they offer 10 the public at extraordinarily
low rates. Even II merchants make moth
ing At ali from their sales. or manufacturers
from their productions. they are glad to
push on their trade for the sake Of keeping
it together with reference to the future.
and to give employment TO their hands.
II is also the present policy on all sides 10
bring down stocks on hand 70 the lowest
possible limit. 80 great lie the uncertainty
as to the prices OF next year. This is
having the effect Of reducing the supply 90
largely that even II the reduced consump-
tion continues for many months TO come.
it's current demands will prevent deplora-
bic stagnation In production.
The holiday trade, therefore. IL serving
valuable economic purpose. The Christmas
gifts OF millions OF people are reducing
largely stocks which must be replenished
by the employment OF labor, and with the
consequence that the trade Of the spring
will receive a healthy impulse. The at
tempt Of the Erening Post to dissuade peo-
pie from making Christmas gifts has been,
accordingly an effort directed against the
welfare OF the community. Fortunately II
has amounted TO nothing. as the reports OF
the holiday trade prove. The readers OF
that paper are very few. and its influence
is confined to Mugwumps, who are natu-
rally removed from all generous popular
sympathies. 1t has simply given few
hypocritical fellows a chance to disguise
their niggardliness under the false pretence
OF charity. II the largely influential news
papers throughout the Union had gone into
such a movement with the same narrow
zeal, the consequences to trade, both imme-
diate and In the future. might have been
mischievous TO the last degree.
The true way to help the people Is to help
the progress OF trade. so that they can help
themselves. At time like this. when there
are toward 100000 OF the unemployed In
New York alone. the giving OF alma Is
necessity in very many cases. but IL is de-
plorable necessity. No matter how great
the need. the acceptance OF charity involves
a moral loss which goes far to counter
balance the substantial benefit received.
The most lamentable. the most dangerous
feature OF the existing situation. is that
so large a part OF the dcstltution requir-
ing charitable relief is among those
whose pride OF character would prevent
them from accepting charity except In the
direst extremity. That self-respect is the
most valuable OF possessions. and its loss is
the most irreparable OF losses. In a great
community like New York, too. there are
many thousands OF people In whom this
sense is weak and at a period OF general
almsgiving such as this. 1t is likely to be
destroyed In them and replaced by the
spirit Of pauperism as a permanent quality.
The charity OF this winter. so extraordinary
in amount. is also attracting to New York
the beggars and loafers from every direc-
tion, the miserable creatures in whom such
charity has already bred that spirit.
OF course. dire deprivation must be sup
piled, and it will be supplied. Never before
in the history Of mankind was the tender
and sensitive sympathy which shrinks from
all suffering. human and brute. so keen and
so general In Christian civilization as 1t is
now. To a very large extent the spirit OF
humanity has been cultivated as means
OF filling up the gap made by the loss OF
religious faith. But the highest humanity
is to assist people to cure their own suffer-
ing by making the laws Of the State har-
monious with the laws OF trade which give
prosperity to their industry.