The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-02-22
Poverty and Idleness in New York.

Poverty and IdleneSS IN New YORK.
The condition OF affairs in New York
is growing SO serious that the news
papers of that city are taking the mat
ter up and printing broadsides calling
the attention of the benevolently inclined
to the necessities of the hour.
The pens of the reporters have no soon
or ceased to deal with the transcendant
beauties of the Bradley Martin trayesty,
than they are called upon to describe
the appalling condition of New York's
poor. a tabulated statement, vouched
for by the newspapers, gives the num-
Der of the unemployed in that city at
10000 This estimate includes only
those who have recently had work, who
are willing to work, but can find moth
ing TO do.
The figures become more important
when il is borne in mind that the aver
age number of mouths fed by each work
or is not less than four. This means
that ut least 100000 human beings in
New York city are suffering because Of
enforced idlcnoss-nearly three times as
many sufferers as there are people in
Atlanta.
The newspapers say that these idle
people and those who depend on them
must be relieved. and they call in trum-
pet tones on those who are inclined to-
ward benevolence. This. of course, is
necessary. but it is not the whole duty
of newspapers TO call Cor relief for those
who are suffering. It is also part and
a large part of their duty to discuss
....,..,.... r,.r ,,,,,,,, ,,.,,f raIfnf rolipf
that is altogether beyond the scope ana
purpose of private or public benevolence.
Temporary relief is necessary. but, in
the nature Of things, it is only temporary.
This is a matter to which We call tho
attention Of the metropolitan editors.
While they are taking measures to re-
lieve temporarily. the vast army OF men
and women who are unable to obtain re-
lief. they should discuss in the freost
and most open manner the measures best
calculated to obtain permanent relief
FOR those who arc suffering from the
results of enforced idleness.
The Constitution has pointed out with
an iteration almost tiresome that there
has been and can be no real or perma-
nent prosperity i'm this country unless
the farmers are receiving fair returns
for their products Tho editors. the
merchants ana the business men Of New
York mag close their eyes TO this fact if
they choose 10. In the end. and before
many mCaths have rolled around it viii
be forced on their attention in way
that Will compel them to recognize it.
Here is q truth that we advise them to
take To heart and study at their con-
voniance. The whole fabric of our bust
ness. trade. commerce. wealth and in
dustry has been built up and
is based on agriculture. This is
the root and essence of the whole mat
ter. and when IL is once clearly compre-
hended. the whole situation is made
plain. We shall never have prosperity
again until those who control legisla-
ton comprehend this great truth ana
act upon it's suggestion.
Ia the very newspapers that print the
tabular statements Of distress. we see it
announced that there is a plethora of
money I'm New York. Now plethora
is q good word. and IS intended 10 mean
something: but when we see the an
nounComcnt that nearly half million
of people in the metropolis are suffering
because industrious workers cannot
sell their labor for money. we imme-
diatcly discovered that the plethora"
here described is q phantom "a Great
ure of the imaginatior for If there was
a real plethora Of money in New York
city. trade would be booming. an the
vacant places would BE filed and the
lao qp
loving comparative comfort today.
we see that I'm the face Of this So
called plethora the money famine
among Industrious workers IN New
York city is as strenuous as IT is in the
agricultural regions And, in proportion.
the result is much more serious. How
often and with how much emphasis viii
the editors who propose all remedies
hut the right one have 10 be tod that
tho money question is not a farmers
question. If every dollar Of currency
were destroyed. the position of the
farmer makes him superior TO such
calamity. If every other productive in
dnstrv were to he RACED to the ground
and an the railways torn up and aban-
donod. his position would still be one OF
comfort as compared TO the rest OF INC
population. For. as he has built all the
great industries and produced all the
wealth and capital of The country, he
would reproduce them again, slowly.
but as surely as the sun shines.
The farmer is complete master of the
situation. so far as earning a comfort
able livelihood is concerned. But the
prosperity OF the whole country depends
or his prosperity. Let him receive fair
prices for his products and the beneh-
cent results flow quickly and promptly
TO the remotest interest 10 the hum
bIest as well as the highest individual.
In this land where everything is di-
roctiy or indirectly based on agriculture,
there is no possible remedy for the pre-
vailing depression. except that which
enables the farmer to receive fair and
profitable returns for his products.
Prosperity can proceed only from its
source. and that source. in this coun-
try. has its roots deep in tho soil.
While the rest of the country is suf-
fering from financial and business de-
precision. neither New York nor any
other city can be prosperous The source