The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-01-22

them-which is just what he wants yor
to do?
There is much being done in Homo
lulu. but there are a few problems yet
70 be solved Lend a hand.
Mr.. Dole then read the following in
terestihg paper, after which the meet
ing adjourned:
THE SUPPRESSION OF PAUPERISM
Probably all workers in the cause of
charity are at times impressed with
the ineffectiveness of ordinary relief
work in diminishing the causes which
create the constant demand for such
relief; and probably an increasing
number of such workers are demand
ing some active attack upon such
causes as the only thing that will Tree
the world from pauperism and It's
swarm of evil influences.
II but tenth part OF the thought
and energy which is given to money
making enterprises, to Inventions, OF
the development of mechanism ana
chemical combinations for the de-
struction of men, ships and fortlhca-
lions in battle, should be devoted 10
the study Of principles and methods
for the eradication of pauperism, 1t is
most probable that in single gener-
alton this obstacle to human progress
would be radically lessened and that d
few generations more would see 1T sub
Istantially overcome.
Although it is philanthropic to re-
lieye the distress of poverty through
charitable work, it is like Topping off
the outer twigs of tree in the nope
of destroying it, so far as it tends to
eradicate pauperism itself.
We relieve want here and there. A
few children of poverty are rescued
from their surroundings and given
chance for becoming self-respecting
and self-supporting men and women,
hut the process of producing paupers
is ever going on and the supply is ap-
palling to the most optimistic. lg-
norance and prejudice among both the
| well-to-do and the poor contribute
largely to this result. 1ntemperance,
congestion of population In cities, the
greed of trusts, unsanitary habita-
lions, unsuitable food, wasteful ana
Iunscientific cooking, want of economy
in housekeeping, evil environment 1oI
children both in regard to health anu
character, and hereditary tendencies 70
disease and moral deficiency are prom
| inent in the great array of hostile con-
ditions that hamper the efforts of hu-
manity to clear itself from the Dilgh'
and stigma of pauperism.
| A few men and woman are working
| inrelligently and with consecrateo
public spirit to remove the cause OF
| this age long evil; but it is almost
/ single handed fight against wide
spread condition that seems to De Sc
curely and comfortably entrencned a.
nermanent feature of society, sup
norted by precedent and tradition ane
1.-The mental habit of mankind. Ths
great majority are occupied with theil
pressing affairs and have little or M
time or thought to spare for this grea
subject which concerns them muci
more than they imagine. Many CIV
from time to time from their abundance
for various philanthropic enterprises
Including those for the relief of per
sons in want, and feel that they ar
doing their share of the work of pro
lmoting human progress, but the rea
lerusade for the extinction of pauper
ism has scarcely begun. Such a move
It..
enthusiastic cooperation of society as
4 whole. including governments an
those individuals who are actuated b.
: religious motive and those moved
, patriotism: to which we add those per
; sons in whom such motives may o
latent. but vet who may feel a desire
for reasons perhaps not fuliy uildei
; stood by themselves, to improve tn
| l.+;% ~f ri
this crusade is on and is thus support
ed, the suppression of pauperism WI
7 he merely a matter of time-a CON
paratively short time. Some OF II
: energy which now goes to the creatio
!. of captains of industry and Napoleon
!, of finance and their trained subord
! nates which goes to warlike prepar;
t tions and political and social ente
= prises, WILL when given to this gre;
: work, master it with speed and pc
manent success. Even educatio
t which is doing so much for the world
: welfare, may well turn a portion of
J, study and instruction to this subjee
r 1t would not appear that the prop
: sition that some considerable respo
d sibility for human progress goes wi
u wealth, can be seriously contested.
e can hardly be the plan of a NOR
universe that the great opportuniti
6 OF wealth are allowed merely that tn
i should be used for the luxurious liv1
It of the recipients and their families a
y for the creation of harmful social d
10 tinctions 1t became the duty of t
n priest, the pharisee and the Samarit
Y, to relieve the man who had fall
= among thieves on the Jericho road,
cause the opportunity was theirs.
all opportunity for the promotion of
Of worlds progress confers responsible
t. in proportion to the opportunity, q
lie this points to duty.
III If this brief statement of the probl
III is fairly correct, what is the duty
ne this community? We may well afft
ne temporary relief to the starving
IS China and Russia, contribute to
promotion of what we call Christ
IN civilization among heather commu
Sc ties, so stigmatized by US, and t
rt part in public and philanthropic gu