The times., 1898-01-02
by JOHN n. GREG DRY, Ii d

/. THE PROBLEM OF P0VERI Y.
How 10 conquer poverty is TIE question
Of the ages. 1t began in savacedom; 1t
incers still III the midst Of The highest
civilization. Lingers? Henry George
Ieclares that ~ ogress aud poverty go hand
in band Progress" he saws. simply
yidens tha gulf between Dives and Lazarus
| and makes the struggle eor existence more
intense - The BURDEN for Socialistic
| complaint is the continued eEiNGlce OF
this curse of the race in an age of wealth,
and it is the Socialist cre"t. that if UOy ert
an be cured all olir social ills and miscries
will disappear. In economies alike. poy-
rty Offers their most perplexing problem
IAN it he cured: AWiil It's suffering ever
end? A
?. POVERTY PERENNIAL.
Through the ages, over against the
world -entIaLc cling form Of wealth, has al
ways stood the woriG- appai Hing fact of
poyerty--the one offering TO its pOssessOrs
pleasure and power: the other threa tening
it's victims with despair and death. In
the endless procession OF the race will come
forever its feeble folE-the sick, the
MANNED and the infirnl-the victims of
heresiity and accident: helpless infancy
and decrepit a ge ignora nee and imbecility-
Always upon the earth will occur frost IND
fire, drought and famine, the flight OF Riches
and the failure Of employment: and the ,ic-
tins OF these. as well as the more misera-
bic victims of appetite, passion and vice,
will remain the waits and wrecks of man,
kind-the many ella Ssed and many condi-
toned poor,
-tlS.sa tl1x- FOR
the poor was one of the most conspicuous
traits of His chara cter recognized poverty
as permanent social fact, and framed Ii
as a touching appeal to His disciples OF
all times III the memorable words, The
poor ye have always with you.' Eighteen
centuries have only confirmed the tr'nh
Schemes without end have been proposed
to remedy Che evil, but thus far in vain.
II the Communism of property advocated
by the earlier socialists, or the collect
ivism'' OF capital proposed by the present
school were feasible, Or ii Henry Georges
single-taX scheme would work as he
thought, poverty might disappear from the
homes Of the industrial classes and asy-
lums might be provided for the feeble and
uuf forbunate; but this would only be an
other way OF caring for the poor as Jesus
commanded. They would not cause power
ty to cease nor make riches universal.
To care for the poor in some effective
way 50 as to save them from suffering, and
supply their vital needs is the perpetual
problem of human beneficence. 1t appeals
to our nobIest sentiments, and brings into
play our best powers. 'IIe that hath pity
upon the poor lerdeth TO the Lord Wealth
has no kinder uses, nnd can find no rich3r
investment. Poverty is not an unnixed
evil any more than riches are an unallOyef
good. Eepareted from ignorance and lie
degradation which too often surrounds it,
poverty is a scEool OF character. Its
struggles bring strength; from its hard
lessons come wisdom. OIt of his poverty
the great Lincoln, and not few of our
greatest statesmen wuve their greatness.
''Better is the poor that walketh in his
integrity than he that is perverse in his
lips says the proyerb. ''Blessed are We
poor for OF yours is he kingdom of heaven
Luke vi, 20.
8. POVERTY AND WEALTH RELA.
TIVE TERMS.
Measured by possessions, he is rich Who
has millions; he is poor who has nothing.
Measured by wants he is rich whose wants
are all gratlfied; he is poor who has not
enough. He Is rich who is content; he is
poor who Is torn with discomfort. Many.
perhaps most, of mans wants are mere
whims and iancies, more easily suppressed
| than gIatified. and the shortest and easiest
road to contentment lies through the firm
suppression of false wants. Paul said
Il have learned the secret of true wealth