The Mena star., 1898-12-14
MORE IMPERIALISM.

when such systems threaten to disturb tho peace or dignity of any private corporation or mon- opoly, writes intelligently and m 1 q commendatory way of a pro. posed "common sense relief in Cuba" as follows:
 At last a scheme of Cuban relief is proposed that offers something less de- grading than open almsgiving and more substantial than the sweetened wind of preambles and resolutions. It is an adaptation to Cuban conditions of the plan successfully pursued by l William Willard Howard in the relief of the destitute Armenians at Van, Turkey, and Mir. Howard stands ready personally to supervise the work. Van is the center of large cloth weaving industry, which was broken up by the Turks. Mir. Howard went there with American money, bought large quantities of cotton and wool, and gave them to the local workers. to be made into thread and yarn. When these were returned, the work was paid for at a good price, and the weav- CTS received the material, to be made | II. simply to extend the scope of the busi- ness
 This was all plain. business.lik roposition-steady work at fair pay. But it saved many hundreds of fami- lies. In the country districts the plan was analogous to this. Oxen, branded as the property of the British consul were rented to the farmers to till their i. n 1. II t.I vest Twenty-two thousand people were supported by the work of these cattle, and yet no man was made conspieious object of charity
 In Cuba, Mir. Howard proposes to get large tract of land and begin to raise crops adapted to the soil with native labor. to pay rood prices to the laborers, and to rent small tracts of land to men capable of managing them. The work is to be done at a profit and the profit is to go to extend ing the scope of operations. It is in- tended to produce, not a fed pauper, but rehablitated citizen.
 What has been tone in Turkey un- der a despotism can surely be done in Cuba under the best government on earth. For hard headed common sense and concrete practicability the scheme is unapproached. It is exceed ingly simple. so much so that it has taken genius to originate it. Surely Americans. with their sympathy for the destitute, and their faith in indus try and individual initiative, ought to support it.
 We concur most heartily in all tho praise bestowed above on the proposed system of relief and will add that what has been donc in Turkey can be done in Cuba and should be done in tho United States under the best government on earth, for the relief of our own suffering poor.
 We will also ask if such a sys- tenn works so admirably under private installation and manage ment why would not it work to better advantage and the benefits accruing be an hundred fold greater under municipal manage ment!
 Of course this would be consid- cred by some as rank paternalism, yet we are unable to sec but little difference in the principle when carried out by private individuals in far-away country, and the same principle conducted by cities, states or the notional gov ernment in our own country.
 Instead of breeding pauperism and creating chronic paupers by ordinary methods of charity now in vogue in this country for the relief of the poor, some organized methods of industry should be es- tablishcd in every community where the poor need relief, and should be established by law. As has been shown, the people given relief by systems of industrial cm- ployment do not feel the dcgrada- ton of being objects of charity, and they not only become self sus- taining but under proper manage mcnt create a profit, consequently the system IS not an expense to the promoters.
 Many people arc good workers but poor managers and these should be protected and encour- aged by systems of public indus try, giving them employment un- der proper direction to the end fhaf fhnt. hnnnnnn cnlf SuSfnininn