The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-01
SEATTLE. rosD<r. JAM J.
THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW.


The year that has Just closed has in q
material sense bean q terrible experience
for both rich and poor; for both labor and
capital; for employer and employed. The
new year that has Just opened Is likely
for some months TO come 10 be q time OF
Industrial ssagnation. public dependency
and personal hardship. II this was al
that could be said. then few today would
hesitate 70 denounce the old as an IN
happy year. aud wonld hardly be disposed
happier than the old. Shakespeare makes
old John OF Gaunt say 10 his Danish ed
son
All places that the eye OF heaven vista
Are to a wise man ports and happy havsna
And Whittier repeated q sound thought
when he said that ''in the shadow OF our
great Affections Gods angels come" It is
only from this spiritual standpoint that
We can not say that 'the old year" has
been bad year: that the new year prom
ises TO DO no better. IL not worse than the
old year. If the material losses and suf-
ferings OF the old year have left as worse
people. II our troubles have hardened
our hearts to the misfortunes and distress
Of our neighbors. then indeed the old has
been bad year; but the proof would seem
TO be that We are better rather than q
worse people for our troubles, that our So
called bad year" Is not without its bene-
diction.
We never were so temperate, 30 humane
and sympathetic a people as We have been
since tho pinch Of distress started an
audible cry of pain from the worthy
workers Of the land. New England was
settled by an ale and beer drinking race.
In 1915 every other house in Boston was
an ale house. and 4 century ago Gov.
Pownsll made the same assertion, and yet
Puritan Boston was regarded as relatively
sober town. The Puritans drank rum
freely. which they made from West India
molasses. and imported gin, brandy,
MADEIRA. port and sherry In large quanti-
ties. Puritan New England In its most
pious days. from the landing of the May
flower TO ct least 1928. was a great con.
sumner of oil forms Of alcoholic intoxicants.
Col. Higginson, Edward r. Hale aud
Oliver Wendell Holmes oil agree that
Glass day" at Harvard college as late as
sixty years ago was a day of drunkenness,
that would not have been tolerated by
public opinion during the last twenty
years. We ara a more temperate and
virtuous people today. probably. than We
ever were before; for .'hard times" forces
temperance and other economic virtues.
The thing upon which we may con-
gratalate ourselves most. however, liz the
magnificent answer which the compare
lively well-to-do classes have made TO the
false charges Of lying hlstherskites who
have charged that neither The churches
nor men of opnlenee show any sympathy
for the unemployed. Never in tho history
Of the American people ha. there been
such prompt and generous response
20 the cries for help for the desti-
tute. The Springfield Republican reports
that more money for charitable pur-
poses has been commanded in that city
than its distributors know how to wisely
ssse. Tie ssseHeJ eessaes quickly. tie only
difficulty Is 70 prevent its absorption by
unaeserying applicants The effect of an
appeal for food and clothing for the
miners in the Gogehic district by
the governors of Wisconsin, and Michi-
gan has been 10 call out. without the
Intervention of state help. such an abun.
dance OF supplies from voluntary private
giyers that all in distress will speedily bs
provided Tor. A, Pittsburg the amount of
money needed to be raised TO give work
and hep TO the unemployed hal scraocly
been made known before II was subscribed.
Reports from every place where the proh.
lem OF the unemployed has presented IT,
self record the universal activity of nrn
Of wealth in forwarding measures of re-
lief. The sesion Of the well-to-ao cla..e.
has given the lie TO the charge of the An.
srshisis that opuienos /. a greedy, heart
less monarch. fan of arrogance, inalfer-
snce snd hardness Of heart. On this posn,
tAs Springfield GepsAtsca. says:
We Aad. on the contrary. striking tss-
imsay 10 the prevalence of thu docsrln.
thar wealth should be held AZ a sru.t f,-
the general COED: 90 the held which the
great law OF Christianity has. that no man
Is morally entitled TO an abundance vhil.
frllcwmsa are in want; aud 80 the con-
munsty Of interest which at the hattssn
prevails efaenz men. strong enough "a
override sill distinctions Of eondftla, .rd
yre!adsess The hard slr.ses vii not 10
without their blessings: aud among them
Will be. let Us hsps. the aerrsopnarr,t 80 a
better understanding between ali the
reopie."
The past year has seen great sfirltusl
AMI material advance 10 realization of the
Carisstaa Ideals OF the faiherhood az Cs,f
snd the hro:heshood of man. In this
year Of diseomtoss snA restitution the
CaEsstian tieal has hssn realized as il
reser has beer before. aa,s she rpsFanss Of
81 te ihs sppeass ef genuine need is more
genuine, prompt and geaeraas that il Ia.
ever been before IN ear history. There are
pubic meetings called In city after ci9v 10
consider noi oa,y the best mean. of
relief for pressing suffering. ha, the
Best means Of giy.nk work 10 sAe
anemnleyed. aud 50 10 lsEs theua snso the
company 81 the seif,sappastias ard laae-
pendent There ssc soup kiscAeas. lode.
ins Aoases. distributing aepogs fax sle,A-
tns and tas. IA every city. the sssal, sg
municipal or combined ss..oa. ssa her,