The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-02-27
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long as he violates no right of other
men, the existence of an endless vari-
ETY. of material conditions is as inev-
liable as the operation of the law of
gravity. Instead of being a conse-
quence of unjust laws, as some persons
claim, the unequal distribution of
property is legitimate fruit of impair
tial freedom. The energetic applica-
tion of ability to the unequaled oppOr-
tunities incident to the rapid develop
ment of the bOundless resources Of
our country has enabled some men to
accumulate enormous riches without
any aid from legislation beyond that
protection OF natural rights which is
vOuchsafed to all other American citi-
Zens.
While all of these statements are
manifestly true, no right-minded per-
son can contemplate the condition of
the very poor without painful emo
tions. We all find it hard, if not i'm
possible, to avoid wishing that some
of the wealth with which few men
are burdened might be distributed
among the needy. No one, however,
can point out way in which such
distribution could be made compulsory
without violation of those rights of
property which a vast majority of our
people are interested in maintaining
This subject presents one of the gray
est problems that ever confronted a
free nation. 1t should engage the
serious attention of all thoughtful
Americans and become a prominent
theme for popular discussion. We
are not concerned chiefly with those
who need charitable assistance They
form a smaller proportion of the en-
tire population in this country than in
any other, and voluntary benevolence,
supplementing the laws of the several
States, can be relied on to afford them
relief. In great cities, where most OF
them are found, charitable organiZa-
tions are carrying on work of stu
pendous magnitude. All of the omi-
nous features of the problem are con-
nected with the condition of working
men. A recent writer speaks of that
condition as follows: "The frequent
insufficiency of wages to procure any
thing beyond the satisfaction OF ami
NAL necessities, harassing uncertain
ties as to opportunities to earn any
wages at all, difficulties in the way of
preparation for unfortunate emergen
cies, exclusion from spheres pervaded
by refining influences, restriction to a
domestic life unfavOrable to the
growth Of good impulses, temptations
to seek forgetfulness in vicious self
indulgence-these and other features
of the condition cry aloud for amel
ioration."
Already the discomfort of working
men has given rise to demonstrations
very menacing to the peace and order
of society, and many intelligent men be-
lieve that these are only faint premoni
tiOns of what awaits us in the future
They seein theinvention of labor saving
machinery, and in the progress of med
ical and sanitary science, great danger
that the evil of an oversupply of the
labor market will be continually ag-
gravated. OF course subject of such
magnitude cannot be discussed ade-
quately in single newspaper article.
Our present end will be served if we
can stimulate thought upon it. We
content ourselves at this time with
adding that the most mischievOus enc
mics of American society are the dem
agogues who are seeking political sup.
port by infaming the blind passions
of the poorer classes and stirring up
animOsity against property owners
The duty of the great body of our peo
pie, who are classed neither with the
rich nor with the poor, is to oppose all
such originatOrs of class hatred
Weekly Florida Citizen.