Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-31
SOCIAL PROBLEM PHASES
FEATURES OF PAPERS READ AT THE
CONVENTION.
Production and Distribution OF
WeaIth-Dangers of Unrestrlct-
ed mfgratiOn.

The social study convention at Haml1ne
Church terminated last night with dis
cussion of the question, What is the Social
Problem?" by Dr. L. G. Powers, chtef
statistician of the census, There were
many phases to the problem. he said. but
the one to which the public is giving the
largest share of attention Is the production
and distribution of wealth. The present
census will unquestionably show that the
visible, material wealth in this country mas
a value of 500, 600, 900, 900 This is an addi-
ton. since $780, of 81, 100000, represent
ing the savings of the people during that
period-of q people better fed, clothed and
housed than any equal number of human
beings in any other land time. The
worst year in this period, that of its great
est financial depression, saw a greater saw
ing of this kind than all Europe had chron-
icled in any century from Caesar to Ma
poleon.
Americas Peerless Record.
Continuing, DIR. Powers said:
with horses, 5000 600 workers on Amer
lean farms produce much valuable ma
terial for food and clothes as the 400, coo, 900
people in China Our steam-driven ms
chinery enables one man to prepare as
many yards of cloth as 100 in the orient
The result is our people produce all he
food they consume and enough to reed
many millions in Europe and Asia. Sucn
saving of wealth as ours was Impossible
in the past because such production was
impossible.
The economic problem until the :nven-
ton of the steam engine was one of pro-
ductiOn. For our generation and land that
problem is fully solved. We produce more
than consume. The economic problem
of our day is one of the distribution Of our
surplus, which is largely one of how la:Or
and capital shall wisely and equitably d.
Il I, t1l, tot,
I'VE may seek the remedy for moral lis
by agencies essentially material, by lesi sla-
ton and kindred means, or we may strive
to solve our main questions of wealth dis
tribution by agencies that are moral in
their essentials. The progress of man re-
quires the use of both methods. How shall
the millions be induced to prefer good
clothes and better furniture, rno.e elegant
luXuries and personal adornment, instead
of the pleasures of the cup? Educate he
people to this and the problem of the dis
tribution of wealth will be practically
solved, and with that solution will come
the end of many of our other soc al per-
pleNities.'
In treating THE Foreign Conquest of
Cities Rev. George w. Leetch pointed out
that unrestricted immigration was a seri-
Gus danger and one that the nation was
as justified in guarding against as a man
is justified in guarding against disease.
The session closed with an interesting
paper on THE New Christian Citizenship"
by Rev. Page Milburn.
Other Problems.
Among papers read at the afternoon ses-
sion was one on 1.-The Problem of the City,"
by DR.. A. F. Craven, professor of sociol-
ogy at Columbian University. who COM
pared the Inhabitants of a city to the cells
of the human body. AS single diseased
cell, he said, produces diseased body to
that extent, so each morally diseased per-
son in a city makes toward city morally
diseased. The remedy he advocated for
diseased cities was altruism in municipal
affairs. Men should be municipal patriots
he said, egotism should be laid aside and
the general good should be kept foremost.