The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-23
HERE are 1O.OOO. .OOO peopIe


the population of the entire country,
who are the victims of existing eco
nomical conditions, which, instead of
improving, are becoming worse, so
that il the necessary remedies are not
soon applied the condition OF our poor
viii be infinitely worse than that of
the poor of Europe"
Robert H1nter, the young worker in
practical philanthropy, former head of
the University Settlement, who a year
ago married Miss Caroline Phelps
Stokes, daughter of Millionaire Anson
Phelps Stokes. and who, with his wife,
has abandoned a home of luxury in
Madison avenue for a modest, unpre-
tentious dwelling in Grove street, New
York City, made these startling state
ments in the parlor of his new home
Both Mr. and Mrs. Hunter modestly
deny that they have any purpose of
teaching by example a lesson to the
poor Of the city through the radical ac-
ton which they have taken. But they
have at their disposal a fortune of S10,-
100000 and might command a Fifth
avenue mansion, a country estate, a
private yacht and many automobiles.
They might fritter away their time at
the opera and the Horse Show and be
submerged in the void Of fashion and
frivolity into which they We're born,
but instead they have elected to live a
life of simplicity and usefulness and
continue together the philanthropic
work in which they were separately
engaged when blind Cupid entered o
sordid tenement with them and con-
jured up a romance.
LIVING NEAR THE POOR.
AT No. Ss Grove street they have set
up their household goods amid sur
roundings which, Immediately adjoin- |
ing, are quiet and refined, but which,
not many blocks away, comprise some
Of the most hideous aspects Of poverty
in New York.
There Mr.. and Mrs. Hunter have de-
termined to labor together to do their
mite toward alleviating the conditions
which Mr.. Hunter so graphically de-
scribed.
This is not a slum district" contin-
led Mr.. Hunter. reverting to the causes
which had led him and his wife to
move into Grove street I'VE have de-
'ent and respectable people for our
leighbors, many of them owning their
'wA homes. But there are near by sew
sral districts with which l am entirely
'amiliar in which poverty is rife, and
neither Mrs. Hunter nor myself will
wade any responsibilities which may
all upon us.
'Slum' is much ill-used word. No
'lace Is a slum where the residents
re decent, respectable and hard work
ng. My idea of a slum is a district
where the people are wholly stepped in !
overty and filth and are making no
fort whatever to help themselves"
Then, going back to his first state
lent Mr.. Hunter said: c
DO you consider any country pros a
erous that has 100000 of its popu-
ltion in poverty? When Charles l
dickens visited America he said that
\ beggar in Boston would be like a
aiming sword Forty years later one
alf Of the people Of the United States q
re prOpertyless, and about 100000 il
ersons now living will die of tubercu-
sis If the present conditions are kept 0
p. II
CONDITIONS GROWING WORSE. S
When about $4,000 employees of the o
iilroads, mostly young men just mar n
ed, with wives and children depend t
g upon them. are killed every year. p
nd their families left helpless; when r.
1out 10000 die every year from tu-
srculosis, resulting from mal-nutri- n
on, and 100000 little children are p
'mpelled to work in factories, sweat "
lops, mills and furnaces, l think we h
N expect that conditions will con- tS
nue constantly to breed a growing D.
'verty in this country, and if these NJ
nditions are not remedied. we will II
i've poverty in very few years that
i'll exceed that of Europe" d
What remedy would you suggest?" m
r. Hunter was asked. re
First" he replied. I'VE have got to NJ
me to the point where we shall have tc
overnment insurance, such as Ger IN
any has, against sickness. old age m
ID permanent injury. There industry al
taxed to pay for all injuries received 70
the workers, who also pay a pro- Il
share into the fund.
In addition we must give area y
tention to our tenement house ID II
the rules governing workshops, etc.
the railroads and to child labor. The =
,ter should be absolutely prohibited. =
am aware that any one who advo-
tes these reforms is apt to be re- 90
rded as a Socialist, but on the other -,
md, what do the workers think Of
e prevailing conditi0nsg"
And what has brought about this -
ndition Of affairsfr
'Unquestionably the economic orran-
ltion Of society at present is respon- .,
Die for most Of its stress" -
DO You mean the trustsY'
4 am not specifying. and am not =
epared offhand to discuss the rela- :"
ms Of the trusts to the present eco -
mic conditions. I don't think. how