New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-11-13
.ECKSTElN OPENS MEETING.
New Ulm Man Plays Prominent
Part in Conference Work
at Fergus Falls.
His Address, as President, Was
Principal Feature of Satur-
day Evenings Meeting.
Scientifically Applied Charity or
Correction, He Points Out,
Is School of Social
Advance.

Is School of Social
Advance.
| Andrew j. Eckstein went to Fergus
Falls Friday afternoon and on Satur-
day evening opened the annual meet
| ing of the Minnesota Conference OF
Corrections and Charities. The ad-
dress he delivered on that occasion is
worthy of record. After stating that
the work of charity and correction is
SO vital and the modern methods OF
dealing with dependent and delinquent
classes so sane and effective that
it is of the utmost Importance that
there be united and uniform action in
| all parts Of the state, he said:
The average American, as know
him, is a man of most generous i'm
pulses.
He is capable OF real and sustained
enthusiasm on any subject that really
grips his interest.
He has way of doing things when
once he definitely forms the intention
and he is imbued with sufficient ideal
ism and altrnism to be especially at
tracted to this fed of endeavor when
his interest shall be aroused.
The trouble now is that the average
citizen either gives the matter no
thought or that his thinking IS errone-
Gus.
Methods and institutions change
slowly and men still are in the grasp
of ideas that are ages old.
But in recent years there has been
filtered into the minds OF most people
a sense of something wrong in our so
cial organization.
The citation that followed the estab-
lishment of democracy has subsidized
and a realization has come that demo-
cracy is either a partial failure or that
we have in some way expected too
much of it.
This leads to inspection of our ci-
tizenship, and we have begun to see
somewhat clearly that government is
the embodiment of the average quail
ties of its citizens, and that the hope
of the nation and, indeed, the hope of
the race, lies in the development of
higher culture and better men.
! Such development involves the eli
mination of classes which have existed
since history began, and while no one
can yet affirm that poverty, crime and
degeneracy can be entirely overcome,
there are few in this gathering who do
not believe that scientific methods com
bined with better social organization
will largely eliminate them.
The period Of industrial expansion
which our country has undergone, the
wealth accumulated and the increas-
ing intelligence of our people make
this a time when the matter of regener-
alton of our citizenship should have
definite, systematic attention.
The general idea that misery and
crime are ordained conditions, that
like death and taxes they must be en-
dured, an6 that the only people who
need be especially interested in them
are sentimental philanthropists and
officers Of the law, must be overcome.
An increasing number of citizens
must be made to feel that what is now
the business of a few people must be
everybody's business.
They must realize that the future OF
! our institutions is at stake and that
the welfare and happiness of all is en-
| dangered by this obvious neglect OF
duty.
| During a comparatively short time
the whole system OF charity has been
reyolutionized and the progress made
) has shown that new problems will
henceforth constantly arise which will
! require widespread and intelligent &C.
! operation to solve.
/ Workers in this field are constantly
handicapped by the erroneous ideas
OF the general public and by lack Of
public interest.
] Therefore / believe the time has
come when some definite systematic
effort should be made to reach and
interest more Of our citizens.
We business men appreciate the
value of publicity and there is no de
partment of social endeavorto which
it does not apply.
The people Of our state as. well as
those of the nation have reached q
point of development where they
should be ready for distinct social
advance.
/ There are a wide variety Of agencies
that should be able to assist more
than they do at present. The press
the pulpit, women.s clubs, county off.
Gals should all be more prominent
factors in this work.