Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-04-11
THE PROBLEM
OF POVERTY

A reliable statement has been is
sued from a committee that has ex-
ceptional means Of knowing the facts,
that at the present time there are in
New York alone 100000 men who
are seeking employment These rep
resent families of various numbers,
probably not falling far short of half
a million mouths, for which there is
no PROVISION but such as comes by
charity A significant feature OF
this startling fact is that majority
of the men do not belong to the ranks
Of unskilled labor, but are men
skilled in building and mechanical
Industries, and nearly half of them
members of trades unions.
Society is thus face to face with
the problem of poverty in acute form,
for, though New York is doubtless In
worse shape than other cities, being
the magnet which draws the unem-
ployed from all sections. its condi-
ton Is representative of other cities.
It is useless now to attempt to ap-
portion the blame for this crisis; the
urgent duty is to seek remedy.
That the situation is a disgrace to
a civilized community must be ad-
mitted. Things have been managed
badly by the statesmen and philoso-
pliers, when they have come to this
pass, That men who know trade,
who are willing and anxious to work,
who do not desire charity but will
gladly do good work for the food
and shelter they need, should be
homeless and starving amid plenty, is
a sign OF mlsmanagement in the
classes who assume to regulate social
conditions. Even a horse is sure Of
stable and corn SO long as he is
able to work, yet here are men to
whom such comforts are unattainable.
1t is sign Of the patience and
strength of character of the American
workingman that hitherto he has dis
played so marked respect for law
and the rights Of property. 1t is
fierce test to mans principles when
he is not only hungry but sees the
signs of hunger In his wife's face and
hears the pitiful walls of his children
as they plead for food, yet holds back
his hand from taking the thing that
does not belong to him. He sees
luxury on every hand; men and wom-
en- wearing costly clothes and jewell
ry; sees them feasting in hotels and
restaurants as he walks the streets,
w vsnp In sfrApn ny-sv hAnAr
to him! He has a manly spirit, and
society hopes-and with reason
that his self-control will continue.
Is the church of Christ doing it's
duty in the circumstances? If 1t had
done its duty in the past, would mat
ters have come to such crisis?
When Christ laid down the principles
of the kingdom Of God and preached
universal brotherhood, could He have
contemplated the prospect that, nine
teen centuries after His death, so lit
tie would have been done toward re-
alizing His ideal? Ask one of these
unemployed, hungry men If there is
a kingdom of God on earth, and he
would look at his questioner incred-
ulously. Yet Christ intended US to
work toward this object of bringing
the kingdom of God to the earth,
this kingdom of love and brother
hood.
1t is not to achieved by dividing
the property of the world, as revolu-
tionists claim nor by creating classes
as unionists claim; but by the Church
taking up the long neglected prob
lem and honestly striving to solve it.
We may wisely let questions of doc
trine and church government fall in
to allegiance for time, while we con-
slider this urgent matter. There is no
time to be lost, for even at this mo-
ment some soul may be going up to
God, driven out of its frail body by
starvation, to tell Him that In. this
land of wealth 1t could not get loaf
of bread without stealing it.--Chris-
tian Herald.