The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-12-28
Former Mayor Hewitt Says They
Give Too Little for tn" RI"
lief of the Poor.
FUND OF 100000 STARTED.
Responsibilities and Duties de.
volving Oh the Rich. He
Says. Are Too Lightly
Held.


REPCRI.Ir SPECIAL.
New York. Dec 27.-Former Mayor Abram
S. Hewitt. In the pro-cathedral of the Ep.s-
copal Church this afternoon. made an elo-
Quent plea for the poor OF New York and
at the same time arragned the wealthy
men Of the metropolis for holding lightly
the responsibilities and duties involved in
the Possession Of wealth.
Bishop Potter presided Ht the meeting.
which was held to arrange for raising
sl01,0O TO extend the church work among
the poor OF the city. MIR. Hewitt started
the fund with a contribution Of sl,ea. con-
tingent upon like Subscriptions by ninety
nine other New Workers. and in the course
Of an interesting address. said:
Some ten or twelve years ago Bishop
Potter asked me to help toward the cree
tion OF "a great Cathedral. which he felt 1t
was his duty to inaugurate during his
bishopric. / refused az the time because
felt there We're great many things to DE
done In New York, which. to me. seemed
of much greater Importance than the erec-
ton OF a new Cathedral grand and subr
though that idea may be. But to-day wned
he asks my help on behalf of the poor,
feel it is my duty to respond.
Since lsp our national wealth has in
creased five times as fast as our po,Jul;i-
derful increase in wealth there is not means
in abundance to remove all the misery and
all the evil conditions among the humble
classes which at present are stains and
sores on our body polite?
The advance OF industry which has
brought us this wealth beyond the widest
dreams of avarice has also brought on con-
ditions which make it an absolute respon-
sfbil!ty for some people to live decent re-
spectacle lives.
Tine rich have not even begun TO do what
they ought TO do. Men that L almost wor-
snip for thelr generosity and solicitude for
those that have less. are not giving, in pro-
portion to their wealth. the half that was
given by their families a generation ago.
Have We the right to take all this
wealth and do nothing to correct the evils
created in its production? Can you accept
these millions ana shut your eyes to the
evils which weave themselves about the
producers?
Car anyone be content with such con-
ditions? Good God, Is this the end to which
we have been working all these centuries :?
Is this the result of our Industrial develop
ment and must our prosperity as a nation
be purchased at such a staggering price?
IF these terrible tenement'. these over
crowded districts, these dark and foul
DIV ellinc places. and all the attending mis-
cries must 60 with industry, then l would
that every industrial center could be de-
stroyed. We're Sodom and Gomorra of
old. and men driven back TO the land
where they can at least have the hreeZes
and the green grass and the sunshine and
the blue heaven to look up to-
Mr.. Hewitt then turned to the civic gov
ernment OF the city. and denounced IL in
unmeasured terms, as did Bishop Potter
and Doctor David Greer, rector of st. Bar
thoOmews Church.
The Bishop expressed confidence that the
fund Of sl00,,C6 started by MIR. Hewitt would
he completed before the middle of January.