The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-09-10

largely one of inheritance, a matter of
yielding to appetites because of an
inform moral weakness. Many inter-
esting investigations have been under
taken at different times, which seem to
bear out this theory. Quoting from
some investigations, along this line:
There was found a family named Jukes,
in New York. The family record was
traced back many years and it was
estimated that this family, descendents
of one worthless woman or intermarried
with her descendants, had in Is years
cost the state of New York as criminals
and paupers, one million and quarter
dollars.
A Kentucky family founded in 1890
was traced to include the history Of
nearly all of the descendants. With
only few exceptions, they were found
to have ended as criminals or paupers.
1t is not necessary to give further
examples here, but the number of
investigations, which prove the correct
ness of this theory is very large. We
do not intend to say that every one
who becomes a pauper must have
inherited these tendencies. Because
man is Il three card monte man, it
does not necessarily follow that his son
is bound to occupy some prominent
position in the profession of cards.
Nevertheless, moral weakness which
leads to poverty and pauperism is very
likely to be found in the children of
persons having this quality. Recog-
nizing this principle, celebrated wit
once said: "Children can not be too
careful in selecting their parents"
AS to the causes of poverty and its
cure, we find wide difference of
opinion between many students. The
socialist has his remedy. According to
the socialistic idea the cause is found
in the existence of profits which are
nothing more or less than unpaid
wages. The wages if divided among
the producers or wage earners, with
the employer as he now exists abolished,
would make poverty impossible and
condition of plenty would ensue. 1t is
also claimed that a universal eight hour
day, would abolish enforced idleness
and able-bodied pauperism by causing
more work and more equal distribu-
tion of wealth.
Another condition, creating poverty,
is the tendency to overproduction, made
possible by the use of machinery more
than human in its ability to produce
accurate work, and at the same time in
enormous quantities. We see con-
stantly the condition of highly stimu-
lated industry followed by correspond
ing depressions. We have, again, an
other remedy, propounded by the late
Henry George: Single tax, i. e., tax on
land only.
All these causes and alleged cures
may be more or less effectual, but most
of them appear to be much more
theoretical than practical. The cause
of the greatest amount of poverty,
according to my way of thinking, can
be embodied in the one word "waste."t
We are all familiar enough with the
average working man to know that
large percentage of his earnings is not
used in a way that will increase the
worldly wealth Of himself or of those
dependent upon him, but is used in
such way as to be actual waste. Of
what use then, would socialism, single
tax, and the other cures mentioned be,
when the majority of persons suffering
from poverty are doing so voluntarily?
OF course, we find some in this con-
dition who have been forced SO by
circumstances beyond their control,
but these are small in proportion to
the total number suffering poverty.
Voluntary poverty is understood as
being caused by acts which themselves
produce poverty and are knowingly
and voluntarily committed, as gamb-
ling, drinking or various other ways
in which men waste their earnings.
OF what use would the increase of
income be, if not used to advantage2
The phrase "cure for poverty" is not
used with the meaning of ever doing
away with poverty; this we could new
or hope to do as long as the world lasts;
but I refer more to remedy to lessen
it to some extent at least. It will be
noticed that all writer's with but few ex-
ceptions propose as aremedy some plan