The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-13

The Chicago Chronicle says that J. Eads
How of St. Louis, heir to 100000 Is
leading a life Of voluntary poverty in that
city. He is trying to show the poor. by
example, that labor is noble and that pow
erty Is neither criminal nor helpless.
Is it likely that Mp How will accom-
plish anything tangible? We do not think
that it is. In the first place those whom
IL is his purpose to teach will set him
down as a fool 1t viii be impossible for
the average person of the class which he
hopes to instruct to comprehend why any
sane man should voluntarily accept a life
Of toll and privation when a life of ease
and ahiuence is within his grasp. Those
who have to earn their daily bread in the
sweat Of their brows, and in many cases
have great difficulty in finding the oppor-
tunity of earning the bread, are
usually so firmly convinced Of
the desirability of independent means
that they would not for a mo-
ment regard Mr.. How's object lesson as
other than the freak of crank lacking
the normal amount and strength of brain.
AS matter of fact, will Mr.. How's
so-called poverty and his efforts to win a
living upon merit afford any correct or
reliable Illustration of the honora .eness
of poverty and work? Can a man with a
million dollars at his command become
poor, just by assuming that he is poor?
Can Mr.. How, after assuming that he is
a pauper but all of the time keeping in
mind that he has a fortune of a million.
dollars waiting where he can put his hand
On it, enter into the battle of life upon
the same plane with the man whose very
existence depends upon securing work,
performing it satisfactorily, and earning
wages?
Mr.. How goes into the ranks of the poor
as a man with theory to work out; and
he is able to afford the luxury of an at
tempt to work it out. As soon as he has
become convinced that human nature is
"sot in its ways" as It has been ex-
pressed. and before poverty has plnched
him very hard, he will quit and assume
his proper place as a person of wealth ana
leisure. And any successes which might
attend his efforts as a bread winner would
be valueless as teaching anything further
than that the laborer is worthy of his
hire. The fact that he was worth a mill
lion dollars would aid him in securing en-
ployment where the actually penniless man
could not get a job, while the further fact
that he was really rich while nominallv
a pauper, but had theory to exploit,
would make difference in the amount
of enthusiasm put into the work.
There is nothing novel about rich men
working. The sons of the great sugar
kings pull off their coats, as soon as they
are out of college, and go to shoveIing coal
or rolling barrels in their fathers sugar
refineries. Heirs of STANDARD Oil millions
also become laborers, in various instances.
until they have thoroughly mastered the
business. Puilman's sons were required
to work in the car shops. Every day il
is illustrated that labor is honorable. If
requires no object lesson like that of the
ST. Louis millionaire to illustrate a truth
which is not denied. Mr. How would do
better to enjoy his wealth. He should
work if he wants to. 1t would improve
his appetite and make him sleep better
But let him drop his voluntary poverty
farce or the poor win despise and ridicuIe
him.