The herald., 1895-06-26
INTEnPERANCE AN EFFECT, NOT A CAUSE

1t can be said to the credit of Miss
Frances E. Willard that she exhibits a
more comprehensive knowledge of social
conditions and possesses more practical
ideas regarding the treatment of intem-
perance than is usually found among
the leaders of the so-called temperance
cause. Miss Willard recently addressed
the third biennial meeting of the World
Women's Christian Temperance Union in
London. In her remarks on this occasion
she took position very much in advance
of her sisters in the total abstinence cru
sade, bur in harmony with the opinions
OF many practical students of social
problems. She asserted that poverty is
rather cause OF inte EN- perance among the
masses than an effect of it. With this
proposition as a basis she entered upon
an exhaustive consideration OF the labor
question which involved a somewhat an
alytical treatment OF the effects that la
Dor saving inventions have had upon the
ability of people to make a living. Rec
ognizing the face that labor saving ma
chinery had to large degree displaced
certain class of labor, she argued strongly
IN favor of the introduction of the eight
hour system as means of offsetting the
effects of the competing machinery.
That to a great degree machinery has had
oisplacing effect on the 1ndi-
vidual laborer almost every one
will admit. But that the adop-
tion of an eight or six hour system
will result in more equitable distribu-
tion OF the products of labor, or will
mean for any length of time more gen
eral employment of individuals, is
another matter. Those who have gone
deeper into the study OF economic ques
tions than 1t is apparent Miss Willard has
delved, will hardly agree with her views
regarding the equalizing effects of fixed
hour system. Unoer the existing condi-
tions of production contraction of the
hours of,toIl will be followed by proper
tionate contraction in the amount OF
wages. And with the progress of inven.
ton and science the machine that today
performs the work OF fifty men, will in
time be displaced by one that will do
the work of one hundred; so that the en-
larged demand for labor thai might result
rom cutting the hours OF those already
en- ployed would be but temporary. The
problem of an equitable distribution of
Iue prOuuCtS OF laDOr Is not TO be solved
by either abolishing machinery or arbi-
traIily limiting the hours of labor. Its
solution is only to be found In freeing
production and making access to natural
resources easy. How this is to be done is
what social philosophers and political
economists must determine.
1he earth is the source of everything
that man cen need, and beneath its sur
face it has enongh and TO spare for all
its inhabitants. That some receive too
much and others too little ls man 8 fault,
not natures. That refo-mers Of the class
Of Miss Willard are beginning 10 recog-
niza that iDtemperance is a part Of the So
cal problem and the symptom OF indus
trial wrong. is encouraging and stimu-
lates the ope that The feht against mere
effects is to give way to the more i'm
portant Investigation OF causes. So long
as millions of people throughout the
world toll from dawn to dark or haze
living, and in constant peril Of being de-
prived even of that in the fierce contest
that the ranks of the unemployed wage
against them roy their places, it is idle