The evening times., 1900-02-01
Mr.. Carnegie's speech.

enemies.
MIR. Csrnegie's speech.
Somehow or other there seems to be
tendency among prominent men just at
present to explain themselves. They make
a speech. OF write a book or a poem. ard
after short interval make frantic at
tempts to explain TO the public what they
meant by that speech. or poem, OF b-ok.
Some newspapers make a practice OF ask
ing authors 10 give their reasons for writ
ing their latest novel. IL begins to look
as if no one could make a plain statement
without having to fellow it with a detailed
account of his reasons for making it, the
circumstances under which it Was given
forth, aud Iiusliy. his sincerity or insin-
cerity in saying such thing at all.
Here is Edwin Markham, for example,
wandering about the country telling
Markham clubs what he intended to say
when he wrote The Man with the Hoe. "
Here is President Hadley driven to explain
that he really did not suggest that college
professors with salaries of $4,000 a year
should ostracise trust magnates who own
automobiles and steam yachts. Some en-
terprising newspaper may send reporter
to Frankfort 10 md out whether the man
who shot Goehel realty meant to do it. And
If Edward Moves WestcotJ were not dead
he would surely be interviewed about his
motives for writing David Harum" and
the lesson which IL was intended TO teach.
Finally. Mr. Andrew Carnegie has been
reduced to making explanations of his re-
cent statement that IL was bad policy to
aid the submerged tenth, and much better
TO help the man who was fighting with mis-
head above water He really said that if
he could have his way. the submerged
persons would be fed, sheltered and sup
ported but not allowed to marry. This
has caused a small commotion among phi
lanthropists and also among persons fond
OF discussion on slight ground.
From ths ordinary reader 5 point of view
there does not seem 10 be much mystery
about Mr. CaInegies statement 1t is not
romantic bat there is considerable hard
Scotch sense in Il. all the same OF course
il ali depends on what he means by the
submerged tenth. and perhaps one-tenth is
rather too large 2 proportion to set apart
in this way But there is no doubt in the
world that a great deal of the money spent
on the very lowest grade of humanity is
practically wasted. because sentimentality
and not common sense dictates its use.
In the end. common sense is really mer-
ciful. and much OF the apparent cruelty of
sense" carried out 10 its logical conclu
sion The law of The survival Of the fit
test is an instance Of this. Does anyone
believe that any good end would be served
by the persistent survival of the physically
and morally unfit? Is not the whole pur-
pose of civilization to perpetuate the high
er qualities of humanity and exterminate
the lower Can anyone read a truthful
account OF the world as it was four hun
dred years ago and doubt that this gener-
ally speaking has been the tendency of
human development?
There ought TO be no question, in the
mind of any sensible person, that persons
physically and morally degenerate ought
to be prevented if possible. from perpet-
uating their kind. Such measures as
might be taken to effect this end would
be simply merciful TO the human race in
general. We all know that there are crea-
lures so debased, so sodden in vice. that
their children are almost certainly DOOM
ed to become criminals. maniacs, or imbe-
Giles. 1t may not he their fault that they
are thus debased this is not question
OF punishment. They should be taken care
of, fed clothed, given work. and all the
instruction of which they are in need. But
congenital criminals should not be allow
ed TO remain at large and prey on society.
A little strict supervision in one genera
tion might so reduce the number of degen-
crates i'm the next that some of the poor
and deserving people would have a chance
to be helped There is no economy in al
lowing the children of honest. hard-wo
ing parents 10 become diseased and vicious
for want of a little care, while money is
being spent 10 provide homes for physical
and moral incurables. That sort of thing
is what our grandfa Tiers used to call saw
ing at the spigot and waste at the bung
They also had a shrewd proverb to the
effect that an ounce of prevention is worth
a pound OF cure. Some modern philan-
rlroUists consumed with zeal for res
cung' the toughest subjects would do
well to remember that saying.