The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-15
THE POOR IN CITIES.

Contrary to common belief, often, no
doubt. pased son a superficial aoquaint-
ancs with the subject but often, too, the
result OF careful study. Professor Gun
ton of New York. al authority OH eco
nomics ana sociology, the poor that we
hive alwayssyith us In the cities should
be regarded as OF economic availability,
a help TO the community. and their sltu-
alton calls for no planning that designs
to dispose OF them in the country, TO set
them up on abandoned farms, or In
other ways that are familiar suggestions
remove them TO make them self-support-
Ing and relieve the cities of their care.
In almost every depression in tho cities
we look for relief 10y sending people to
the country. That Is probably due to the
fact that there is con stant tendency OF
population to longest In the cities
There Is a reason for this: IL is because
people would rather live In the city.
Whenever we see tendency in society
that keeps up for generations, we may
know there is something In it, whether
YOU can see IL o. not. The migratory
tendency of population is from the low
est points of civilization to the higher
1t is from the lower parts Of Europe to
the higher and To the better parts. AT
one time there was such u tendency of
continental iabor-all except French
toward England that they have several
times discussed a law restricting immi-
grafton, and IL has Deen the problem for
half dozen centuries TO keep people
from going to London, but they will al
ways go TO London.
so they come from the country, far and
wide. The immigrants upon arrival in
stead OF scattering themselves over the
vast agricultural sections where they
seem to be most needed, and where lite
for them would appear TO 10 most advan-
tageous, cheerfully pack themselves away
in dark corners OF the larger commu-
mites. Often they become . burden to
themselves aua ON the community which
is congested by their presence.
Rut In working cut it's destiny. Prof.
Gunton maintains that the poor are a
vital force to civilization tha ought not to
he showed aside to the content, that means
stagnatior, of the country. The process
of milatiOn and elevation is OF direct
advantage to the uplifting of mankind
and philanthropists should cease to ssek
to dispose Of the social problem by dis
missing the poor to abandoned farms,
there to live and die. self-supporting. per
haps, but not advancing with human
prowess and leaving the cities at ease too,
So that the more fortunate are likely to
be relieved to the point OF enervation OF
the duty OF assisting the less fortunate
to rise for the better good OF mankind.
Prof. Gunton's theory is Interesting
and it has a more than theoretical force
inasmuch as efforts to shift tho common
burden of the poor In cities by transplant
ing the poor to the country, where they
may carry their own burdens and work
out humber salvation than Is posi- BILE
in the cities, usually meet with failure.
The poor, as rule. simply decline to be
SO showed out and colorized. That r. a
very practical fact Edward Atkinson has
gotten up colonization schemes to 90 In
to the country, taKe along . man as cook.
aud have small heaven on earth, and
he could not set dozen people t. 20
with him IL the land wers free. With
all it's disadvaD tsges, oity life has its at
fractions for the poor and they stick. 1t
remains 20 their mole fortunate fellow
citizens to consider the situation as a
wise dispensation calculated to induce
activity and fellowship in humanity
that will be blessing In Disguise and on
the whole contribute to MAKE the world
better and hasten Its progress toward
better leveled conditions