The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-13
A RESPITE FROM POVERTY

n HESPIIE FROM POVERTY.
The problem of poverty is a desperate
one, in view of the fact that the numbers
of the extremely poor are constantly on
the increase. 1t has been estimated that
within the past ten years pauperism has
increased with much greater rapidity than
the increase in the population. What
shall be done with these poor; what shall
they do with themselves; how shall they
manage 40 exist? 1t is we'll known that
poverty pinches worst in winter. So long
as the air is warm and balmy, few
clothes little fuel and modicum of food
will suffice to maintain life, and food is
not as difficult to obtain in summer as in
winter. But when the snow flies. the
temperature drops below the freezing
point and the fields are bare of vegeta-
tion, then come the suferings of the
poor. Is there a way by which the dis
NAL, distressful months of the winter pc
Rod may be bridged over by the poor,
without suffering or inconvenience? II
there is, manifestly its employment would
be blessing TO thousands of persons who
now SILVER and suffer, and often die of
the cold.
DR.. II. S. Tanner offers a solution of
the problem. 1t may be summed up in
one word, Information. 60 40 the ant,
thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be
wise" is an injunction of the Proverbs
But the ant is not the only wise creature
among life of the lower orders, says Dr.
mouse, the alligator and others that
might be mentioned, that are not bothered
by the problem of winter. They go into
Information when it becomes cold wealth
err, and sleep until 1t is warm again. Man,
being the highest order of animal life.
ought 10 and does possess all of the at
tributes and powers of the lower orders
Many of them are dormant and undevel-
oped, but they are there and may be
brought to a high state of perfection
That mankind may abstain from food for
long periods of time without suffering i'll
effects therefrom was demonstrated by
DR.. Tanner himself some twenty years
ago. 1t will be remembered that he went
without food for forty days for the pur-
pose of demonstrating his theory that so
much eating was altogether unnecessary.
Dr. TANNER does not claim originality
for his Information theory. 1t is already
practiced in modified form in the Pskov
province of Russia, as it has been for
many years, in what is called the 'lotska. "
or winter sleep of the very poor peasants.
At the first fall OF snow, says the Doc
tor, the whole peasant family gathers
around the stove, lies down. ceases 10
wrestle with the problem of existence,
and goes to sleep. once a day every one
wakes up TO eat a piece of bread, of which
has been previously prepared. When the
hard bread has been washed down with a
drink OF water every one goes to sleep
again. After six months of this reposeful
existence the family wakes up. shakes IT.
self and goes out TO see las own shadow,
like the ground hog, and by and by sets
to work at summer tasks.
Or. Tanner says he has given close
study to hibernation, and is certain that
not even the daily piece of dry bread and
draught of water of the Russian peasants
Is absolutely necessary. He notes an in
stance of a Russian peasant girl who
was buried In a snow drift for fifty days,
and was taken out alive and we'll Here
was a case of true Information, he says,
in which oxygenation and decarbonizati ton
of the blood was suspended. showing the
possibilities of Information in the human
race
How to develop the faculty for sleeping
the winter away DR.. Tanner does not sug-
gest. He leaves that for scientists to pom
der. To have the very poor go into hiber-
nation at the first snow fall he says,
would vastly diminish crime and vice. and
thus be a great benefit.not only to the win
ter-sleepers. but to the more well-to-do
who have TO pay the taxes.