The Charlotte Democrat., 1897-02-04
The Want of
Bread i'm Chicago.

AlAc VIC Sy PAIN Ol Tue AmcIl-
can people is flowing through one
channel toward the starving people
of far off India, a portion of it
should rush out through another
channel in the direction of nearby
Chicago, where 100000 people are
credibly reported to be also endur-
ing the agonies of starvation, says
the New York Journal.
1t is almost beyond belief that in
a county which last November stood
by the present state of things to the
extent of giving Mckinley major
ity of 64,929 there can be such APP
paliing destitution, unless the
amount of Mr.. Hanna's campaign
fund has been grossly exaggerated.
If the vote selling business was not
done on a much narrower margin
than has been generally supposed,
the profits would surely not be ex-
hausted within three months of the
election.
But such speculations, however
curious, must be overpassed in con-
sideration of the dreadful fact that
nearly one in every ten persons in
the second city of the United States
is suffering from lack of food "a
city which four years ago was able
to spend more than $1O,0O0,OO0 ON
Worlds Fair. It would be bad
enough if the sufferers were of the
sort we have always with us, the un-
skilled laborer and his family. But
the situation in Chicago is no ordi-
nary situation. Besides the un-
skilled laborers there is widespread
misery among those who in Europe
would be said to compose the mid
die class. The Bureau of Associated
Charities reports that it has urgent
appeals for aid from skilled men in
all the trades. "Men who a year
ago." says the Bureaus agents,
"owned their own homes, small
shopkeepers whose stock is their all,
and who can sell neither stock nor
shop"-these in thousands are forced
to ask for charity to keep from
starving and freezing to death. The
dull times have compelled such cor.
porations as the Illinois Steel Com
pany to discharge all their employees
but their officers and directors. The
building contractors can give nc
employment, for nobody has money
to invest in buildings. This is the
dismal picture painted by clergy
man:
4 Sat every turn one finds the mos
auiect misery. People crowd to oul
services and beg for food for theil
children. This is our fourth hare
Winter in succession, and We are nc
longer able to give. There is NJ
work that we can get for the men
We need outside help, and we mus
have it at once. Hundreds are suff
ering and need help, while, to my
know ledge, there are many familie
that may be said to be actuall.
starving. Our storekeepers have lit
tie capital and cannot carry tn
people. Every day we see litti
: children eating whatever they cal
, pick up in our alleys, and We cal
do nothing, for their number is to-
, great"
No wonder the county agent
F superintendent of charity, fear
"bread riots if We have any kin
:. of bad weather.
: Charity begins at home, and be
. fore we devote our means to relic
of England's wards in India W
. ought 10 FIJI the empty stomachs o
our own doorstep. The situation l
! the United States is not SO bad as
is in India, but it is bad enough
awaken interest in the causes of
while we are mitigating its effects
If we have any blood in our heart
q we should make it our business
q discover why a social system whic
+ enables one family to throw $3.50
= 900 away on a ball and a suppe
compels thousands of other familit
# equally deserving to struggle wit
;, starvation the whole year round.