St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-16
MALLOCK'S "MODERN Pow
ERTY."

luS VI SIOrey nlInSelI..
MALLOCK'S "MODERN Pow
ERTY."
w. II. Mallock, in the current North
American, brings to an analysis of the
conditions Of modern poverty and its
relations to modern wealth all that
keenness of intellect and clearness of
statement which characterizes all his
writings. He reads the pictures of
misery painted by the reformers; the
assertions that civilization is only Civ.
ing to some the power to eXtort from
others their savings or earnings; that
the rich are growing steadily richer
and the poor poorer. and that society as
at present organized is nothing but a
systematic raid on the poorer by the
wealthy. and disbelieves it.
Quoting Karl Marx ON one Side of the
Atlantic and Henry George on the
other as authorities for the con- mon
view Of the relations of wealth and pow
erty, he proceeds to apply the compare
sons of history to the present to show
that while there may be as much or
relatively there is less No one at all
familiar with the history Of the people
during the last century even but knows
that the conditions of men are vastly
better than they were a hundred years
ago. They live better. are better
clothed, better fed, better sheltered,
and are surrounded with comforts. CON-
mon enough now. that were luxuries to
their not remote forefathers.
The poor we have always had with
us, and always will until the progress of
the race snail have eliminated its weak
nesses. Where there is thoughtlessness.
uuthrift. laZiness, improvidence, there
will be poverty, more or less AFFECT and
no provisions that society may adopt
can prevent it. An equal distribution
of all the wealth of the world would no
sooner be consummated than it would
begin its process of separation. the pru-
dent and enterprising getting from the
reckless and imprudent. The spend
thrift would squander and the thrifty
accumulate.
But Malock justly contends that the
question is not whether poverty exists
now, but whether it is true that rela.
lively it is as great as ever. AS popula-
ton increases has poverty kept pace
with it? Promising that his information
does not permit him to speak of condi-
lions in America, he declares that his
observations made in England and Eu :
rope answer the question in the mega
tive. He fOrtifies his own observations
with the statement of Mr.. Giffen, the
famous statistician, that as far as indi-
vidual incomes were concerned sit
would not be far short of the mark to
say that the whole Of the great material
i'm provement of the past fifty years has
gone to the Masses"
Mr.. Mallock misses the point of con-
tention OF MI. George and others in this
country. who are striving to better the
general condition. In pointing to the
fact that the rich do grow richer and
the Door poorer,it is not for the purpose
of declaiming against the rich as
such, but to illustrate the evils of the
use OF governmental power to take
from the many of their earnings to give
to the few. Whatever may be the in.
equalities in England, they are more
due to conditions finding their root in
abuses of power in the past than to
present misuse of the government, while
here they are almost entirely due to that
cause, entirely SO if we eliminate the in
herent and unavoidable inequalities OF
aptitudes.
ManifestlY, where rights are unequal,
where special privileges are granted to
some, where the masses are compelled
by law to contribute to the enrichment
of others, poverty becomes more accen-
tuated ana more are its victims. Where
taxation, if levied only for revenue
without being diverted to improper and
individual uses, is laid on the articles
men must have for the sustenan ce of
life, it is too evident to need demonsIra-
ton that the diminution of earnings in
creases poverty. 1t is the removal of
these inequalities of opportunities, these
misuses of the governmental which this
method of taxation is but one instance,
that Mr.. George and others, not agree
ing with him, are working for. This is
the underlying purpose animating the
Democratic party of this country, be-
lieving that the best way of eliminating
or minimizing poverty is to give to every
man the freest opportunity to better his
condition. but neither helping nor him
dering him.