New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-17
THE WORLD GETTING BETTER
DIR. SAVAGE OPPOSES THE VIEWS OF
PESSIMISTS.

HE coNBATs THE CONTENTION THAT THE RICH
ARE GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR
POORER" AND FAvoRs AGGRE-
CATIONS OF CAPITAL.
The question rs 1t True that the World Is Get
ting Worse?" was discussed by the Rev. Dr. Minot
Savage in the sermon which he preached yes
terday morning at the Church OF the Messiah lie
said that the people who thought that the word
was getting worse really did not know what they
were talking about. because civilization was grad
ually advancing and there was also no foundation
for the cry that 1.-The rich are growing richer ana
the moor poorer" Among other things the clergy
said:
There are reformers who telling us that no
matter how 1t in the past the world Is now
out of Joint They really believe that II they
should be we would be approaching the millennium:
hear the political reformers say that tne Sou,rS
and Religious subjects other reformerYs picture
things very black If really believed al OF tnes s
growing s worse instead Of better, preaching would
see no chance in distant future but are always
talking OF the distant past. Despite the stories OF
years ago OF ggantic form and lived to great
OF to-day exceeds that OF the people of the past
generations and the period OF ire was never h as
Tower OF London have tried 70 Near the aT arm
could not get into any of the suits. They were all
TOO small for me: 1900. ,ou,o,o ,,o. tho worla
has made progress in it's material and moral CIV
iization. and that the intellectual faculties of man
the secrets OF the worlds mighty forces. But the
question Is asked have We mage any tar Ga and
intellectual advancement?' From the stories OF
murders defaications and printed in the daily
the world was growing worse But IT Is not getting
were Committed, but the people had not daily news
papers then, telegraph wires did not girdle the
people did not know what was happening In dis
ant places find that the oy TGrd dea has mSS
above what 1t was considered to be in past ages
There never was so much religion as there Is IN
Are We as industrial equations ar, are
about the trusts and milonaires and that
the poor Isa, mSs e dOns for
1 pabss are With the a6orng man because do
not know any one who is not laboring man. IL
is a misuse of words not 10 talk about the rich
as Saea is the enemy of ciyzaion
ACCUMULATED wealth is the first step In civilization
OF art the productions OF the highest geniuses To
destroy accumulated capital would be the means
are people who tell us that some Of , the loren rica
that the owner of great fortune. whether he
came by It fairly or not in our condition q cviiza
him returns ExperenCe has time and time again
ter served by private 0wnerhip OF we1h moneT
Knows ~i the Better how TO use it. The captains Of
capital-those who succeed in controlling and
anlassing large fortunes-are as few as the great
generals Men strive for the accumulation OF
wealth because 1t appeals to their ambition ~ 10
succeed in any business to-day can only be accom-
plished by the strictest devotion You cannot pour
your life's energies into one channel and at the
same time succeed in doing other things in other
directions | would not care to exchange places
to-day with any king on any throne in the world
The rich are not TO be envied because they live
in mansions but admire the architecture
without paying the taxes As matter OF fact the
rich are not growing richer. The percentage OF
profjt is less to-day than it used be. and II is
true notwithstanding Henry Georges statements
that the profits OF the wageearners are better to-
day than they used to be. The purchasing power
OF money Is greater to-day than II was ever before
To-day for cents you can buy good newspaper
which contains. besides the news OF the world, as
much other good reading matter as you can get
in a 81 20 book. Any of the wild incendiary talk
in the pulpits and in the papers Is against the
experience that much good comes from aggrega-
lions of capital. The rich man holds his capital
simply in trust for civilization There are hard:
hearted millionaires, hard-hearted laborers and
hard-hearted trusts. Selfshness is human trait
and will crop under all conditions OF ciViliza
ton. 49,
Let us continue TO try make the world better
and we must not deude ourselves with the idea
that We can a patent for advancing cviliza-
ton 10 the ideal standpoint in a day. Advance
rnent Is slow. and rich and poor must cooperate
Ua he will be His kingdom