Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-12-02
DIRE WANT IN NATION.
Robert Hunter says Country Has w.
100000 PauDers.


Robert Hunter. who became proml-
nent in charity work in Chicago ana re-
Gently married the daughter OF Anson
pbalns Stokes Of New York, all heiress'
RI millions has written Il book scoring
American millionaires and dehou,lcihs
tbe economic conditions Of the United
States The book is entitled Poverty,
and in it Mr.. Hunter asserts that lo,0oo,-
coo persons in this country are IN "ah''
He calls 100000 paupers ana Tue re
mainder wage-earners. The paupef ue-
ponds on public or private charltE loi
his sustenance. The others work, soiile
of them night and day, and yet are ul-
able to obtain those necessarles WHICH
will permit them to maintain q state Oh
physical efficiency.
That 100000 of the people OF the
United States are in poverty, either as
paupers or as laborers pinched by the
iron wise of necessity, Mr. Hunter calls
to witness an array of statistics
'"The number of evictions in q com
munity.'' he continues, sis fairly good
measure of the minimum distress. In the
year 1908 80 4G3 families IN the borough
of Manhattan were evicted from their
homes. That is about II per cent OF the
total number of families in the borough.
''As another indication the number OF
pauper burias should be cited. EVERY
one familiar with the poor knows how
desperately they struggle to give a de-
cent burial to their dead. Even the poor
est people have friends, politicians or
others, who save them, if possible, from
this last disgrace. And yet one out OF
every ten persons who die in New York
City is buried in potter's field. l should
say that the number of pauper funerals
does not represent half the actual DIS
tress of the community
Mr.. Hunter quotes reports from Off
cial sources to the effect that in 1891
and 1899 Is per cent of the inhabitants
of New York State were in distress.
He declares this figure represents only
the poor who finally are helped by char
ity, and adds that he would not be sur
prised if the number of those in distress
in the metropolis and in other large in
dustrial American centers rarely fell be-
low 25 per cent of the people.
Mr.. Hunter finds in the fact that
100000 wage-earners in the United
States are out of employment from four
to six months of the year additional data
for his estimates
He thinks that an annual income of
$500 a year is the average amount on
which family of father, mother and
three children can live and keep above
the poverty line.
at is hardly to be doubted" the So
cial agent continues, chat the mass of
unskilled laborers in the North receive
less than $500 year. and that the same
class in the South receives less than
$780,
Mr.. Hunter declares that the condi-
lions of want are increased by the ar
rival every year of 100000 male immi-
grants, who seek work in the very dis
trict where employment is most scarce.
He declares that 100000 little children
are forced to become wage-earners in this
country when they should be in schSol,
and that about 100000 women find it
necessary to work, of whom 100000
are employed in factories and mills
Probably no less than 100000 work
ers are killed and injured each year while
doing their work." he says, land about
100000 persons now living, if the
present ratio is kept up, will die of that
preventable disease, tuberculosis