The Advocate and news., 1899-02-22

solely one dependent upon public or pri-
vate charity, but also each necessitous
person, whether employed or not, who
lacks that incentive to patriotic impulse
known as "a stake in the country" It
has been officially estimated that more
than half Of the people Of the United
States own no real estate, so that what
ever stake" they may have is not
of q landed sort, Probably more than
half Of this half live hand to mouth eX-
istence dependent for daily livelihood
upon daily wage; while another consid-
erable per cent embraces criminals, the
unemployed and paupers properly so
called. In view Of these estimates, the
precise measure Of patriotism rlghtfully
to be demanded Of the practically and
potentially destitute is matter Of i'm
portance.
It may be promised, whatever tales are
told Of old philosophers that no man Is
pauper from choice. The ease and lux
ury Of the world are sweet; even work,
If 1t be congenial and not onerous, Is well
come II a man is poor, II Is not because
he prefers his status, but because an all
compelling fate has placed him in 1t.
The fate which dominates him may be
his own ignorance, laziness, vice, or in
efficiency, might be easily overcome by
any other person, but for him at least 1t
is absolute and insurmountable. With
the slow awakening in these latter days
of a public conscience touching these
matters, the "worthiness" Of the poor is
being lost sight Of We are coming 10
say, Granting their unwOrthiness, whose
fault Is that?" Biological science, with
It's wisdom concerning heredity and en-
vironment, has done It's work, and the
real responsibility is seen to rest rather
with the manufacturers Of the environ
ment than with the sufferers from 1t.
The duty Of the citizen to the State is
seen to nave another side-the duty OF
the State to the citizen. Nay, more, this
latter duty is suspected to be fundamen-
tai to the other, and, perhaps, the very
reason of it. Society Is already in exis-
tence when the citizen Is born. From his
cradle It fixes the care he shall have, the
comforts he shall enjoy, the equipment
he shall receive, the rules he shall obey
the duties he shall perform, the OppOr-
tunities he may avail himself Of. Society
assumes a grave, tremendous, respon-
sibility. May not the pauper pertinently
inquire how this responsibility has been
discharged as to him?
Let us look at the question from the
pauper's view point. 1t was his misfor-
tune, not his fault, that he was born.
Once born, he found society ready made
for him. He was asked nothing about II
was never party to the contract social
It's laws and ordinances, its let's and him
derances, bound him without his con-
sent. When he grew old enough he could
vote to change them. His practical eX-
perience was that they were not changed.
AS a rule, he neglected his right of suf-
! frage for the sufficient reason that IL was
valueless. Occasionally he could sell his
vote, but this was without the cOnnivance
of society. Schools were provided (by
the way, a distinctly paternalistic enter
prise) wherein he might be educated. But
clothing, books, food, residence, were
necessary before he could profit himself
by them. These he did not have. Even
IL he attended school and received GER
| tain education, he might still ask, To
what good? The result to him was a
harvest of discomfort which he is told
1t is wrong to feel. The State may have
benefited his fathers, but his fathers have
not benefited him. The State protects
him from violent murder-a questionable
service-or, rather, it guarantees, after
he is dead the punishment OF the man
who violently kills him. 1t does not pro-
tect him from the slower and more ago
nlzing murder of life unfulfilled.
1t may be said that the government has
let him alone. It does not interfere with
his liberty, except when 1t arrests him
for vagrancy. Neither does it interfere
with his right Of free speech, so long as
he does not swear and says nothing cal
culated to disturb business, property
rights, or the good order Of the commun-
ity. 1t has not prescribed his religious
opinions. Probably he has no religious
opinions. He is free to pursue his happi-
ness by all lawful means, though lawful
a. 49,