The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-12
Causes of Poverty and Some
Remedies.


Causes of Poverty and Some
Remedies.
Every thinking man at the present time
is much impressed by the frequency OF
failures in business.
Every day stores and manufacturing
concerns are being placed in the hands of
receivers, and creditors are obliged to
settle for a few cents on the dollar. or
run great risk of never being paid any
thing for their claims. Banks are closing,
and railroads are being sold under fore
closure of mortgage.
Some persons will attribute these trou-
bles to the silver question. Others will
say it is because the tariff is too high,
while others still will say our industries
are not sufficiently protected. and we
should have higher tariff. In the mean
time the prohibitionist will tell us that
the country is given over to satan, and
that liquor is running the nation.
All these causes may have more or less
influence in producing the widespread
depression in business which now exists,
and may have something to do with the
distress among the industrial classes,
who being the bone and sinew of the ma
ton must be in a healthy condition, if the
life and vigor of the whole are to be pre-
served. Yet we venture to express the
conviction, that there are causes at work
far more powerful than all these COM
bined, which tend to grind the face of
the poor" and for the rich, make their
eyes swell with fatness.''
General Booth, head of the Salvation
Army, who is one of the greatest econ
omic writer's of our day. has summed it
all up in a few words, by saying that our
modern system is conducted altogether
too much upon the plan of giving "to him
that HATH" and taking away "from him
that hath not, even that which he hath"
From this we infer that the General
agrees with us in the belief that the pow
ers that be seem some how or other to
have become impressed with the convic-
ton that they are the special agents of
the rich and powerful, and are in duty
bound to 'pour into such pockets as are
already we'll filed, as much more of the
public treasure as can be crammed into
them, while their estimate of the tOiling
masses may be expressed in that now ia
nous saying: 'The people be damned"
1t will be interesting for us to imagine
what course would be pursued by the gov
eminent, both federal and state, if the
present practice of helping along those
who are already we'll to do, at the expense
of the poor, should be reversed, and the
government should conclude that public
policy and the theory of the 1.-The greatest
good to the greatest number" required
that the great mass of the people were
worth looking after little, and that the
safety of tine nation required that the
ov rly IN CHI
attention other than sending him to Jail
when he violates a statute or city ordin-
ance. In word, that it is worth while to
give some positive encouragement to hon
est industry. and offer some inducement
to the great army Of the unemployed,
who are fast becoming tramps and GRIM
inals, to settle down to regular work,
with some assurance of compensation for
their labor.
Of course there are two favored classes,
who are tenderly cared for by the general
government. theoretically at least, and in
great measure practically.
They are first, the Indians who, despite
all the stealings of agents. receive an
nually out of the revenue of the govern
ment. and therefore from the pockets of
thousands of dollars toward their sup
po ct, besides having school teachers and
instructors in farming provided for them
at the public expense.
The second less favored class of govern
ment pensioners, consists of the old SOL
diers and their families, who receive pit
tanceS more or less meagre out of the
pubic revenues.
:. But the great mass of the poor and dis
and but little heed is taken whether they
rot in foul atticS and cellars, or fade
away In the penitentiaries and aims
And yet. without one cent of expense
70 the general or state government, all
OF these people can be permanently pro-
V1dR6 q m ho frov md
mails being in the vast majority of cases
transformed into self-s1staining and
hOme-lOving citizens.
And by what means is this great trans
Iormatl0n to be accomplished without
EXPENSE Sa ; The very simplest in the world:
fo Inc immense mi thn Pineries and hardwood
De utlized, the government giving en-
ployment to those who want It, and the
Ite"e going into the PUBLIC Golfers in
Ia IN and lumber rings, and at the end
OF hve or seven years term of enlist
family a home on the public domain
LEAVING THE TITLE ALWAYS IN THE GOV
EMINENT Err but grant to the occupant and
land, subject to removal only upon con-
v1ctiOn of crime. Thus the land holder
a and na never De cheated out of his home
speculation on his part.
still better plan would be for the gov
eminent to open these farms under the
structors in farming and stock raising,
ana after these people had given their
services to the government for five or
seven years by way of payment for the
land, at the same time acquiring a thor
ough knowledge of farming and stock
raising. give them perpetual lease of
the land, WITHOUT RENT.
A very little calculation will show that
this method would be far more profitable
to the government than the present sys-
TEN OF disposing of its lands. and would
enable hundreds of thousands of people
to acquire homes who could not now &C
cept the lands for nothing without aid,
because they have not the means to reach
them, and II they did, unaided they could
not sustain themselves until the first
crops were harvested, yet it should be
paying Investment for the government,
and tens OF thousands of people would at
tunity.
Russia, in spite of all the charges made
against her by her enemies, gives more
encouragement to industry than we do,
Ior we are reliably informed that if
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