Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-02
aaliseellaneols Rradirg.
POOR WELL DRESSED.
A Peculiarly Noted Here BY Visitor
From Abroad.

A Popularity Noted Here BY Visitor
From Abroad.
1t Is always interesting, though not
always pleasant, to see ourselves as
others see us-to hear what foreigners
think Of our institutions or mcde OF
living. or to read what alien writers
have to say of our merits or short
comings. The opportunity has been
once more afforded, this time by an
occasional correspondent" Of the Lon
don Times, who has been among US
taking notes.
81 have never" the writer confesses,
"indulged in the fashionable pastime OF
Summing. I have, however, acquaint-
ance with the poorest quarters Of most
Of the capitals Of the world; and, IN
analogous districts CT American cities,
I have been impressed by the compar-
ative absence of the outward and WIS.,
ible sign Of deep and widespread pow
erty which is seen, by the most casual
observer, in the dress Of large classes
Of citizens in other lands. 1t seems
as II Americans, alone Of all peoples.
had not the poor, at least in apprecia-
BILE number, always with them.
But things are net what they seem:
md the appearance Of Americans Is
deceptive guide to their true estate.
The poor are here. Their democratic
raining, however, has led them to
,resuppose that a common standard
belongs to all: and to this standard
they are constantly striving to con-
form.
"The familiar tokens CT poverty are
found in the homes Of multitudes OF
hose whom one sees elsewhere In
crave attire. / first made acquaintance
with this fact by visiting in their
homes some men and women. whom
had met at social settlements, and
ater statistics confirmed my personal
view.
I'm fairly prosperous years there are
1t least 10000, ,000-some careful statis-
clans say from 100000 to 20,0o0,-
0O0-people in America who are al
ways underfed and poorly housed, and
II these 100000 are public paupers.
Little children to the number Of 1,700,-
700, who should be at school. and about
5000, 900 women are wage earners In
America. Yet the bureau Of labor for
Wisconsin reports that less than 3 per
cent of the families of Wisconsin have
IN income Of over $500, while nearly
SO per cent live on less than $400 a
year; and Lavasseur, in his book. THE
American Worker" estimates the to-
al income Of all the wage-earners In
an average American family at about
1867.
The case of salary earners' must
also be taken into consideration. The
prosperity of the country, which has
brought some material benefit to wage
earners and to men Of wealth, has
brought no corresponding Improvement
n the condition Of the professional
class. On the contrary, hand in hand
with general prosperity has come
proportionate increase in the cost OF
living, and the professional class-the
most important element in the citi-
zenship Of the country-has not shared
In the increased riches Of the time. !
have referred in previous articles to
the inadequate salaries Of teachers In
the primary and secondary schools.
Those Of college and university pro-
fessors come under the same condem-
nation. For example, at Harvard dur
ing the administration CT its actual
president, the higher salaries have, in
deed, been raised rs per cent, but the
average salary has been diminished by
10 per cent-from s3,444 in 1S67-6S to
;2,070 in 1923. Thus the men and
women who are the real forces OF the
democracy find themselves, along with
the wage -earners, brought face to face
in their own experience, with the tre'
.nendous modern problem Of the dis
tribution Of wealth. and are in constant
danger Of mistaking their personal
.nalaise for altruistic sympathy with
mankind. And, as 1 have indicated.
there is a large pauper class with
which to sympathize.
THE poverty in America that seeks
20 hide itself beneath fine apparel may
be more bitter and more dangerous,
wen although 1t be less, than the pow
>rty that elsewhere is naked and un.
hamed. At meeting CT the Social
lists, at which I was present in Chica-
20, an Americanized Scot won the
sympathy CT his audience by vehe.
nently protesting against the lifelong
md objectionable indignity that had
been put upon him by those who had
allied the school in Edinburgh in which
lie had been fed, clad and educated.
the Ragged Boys School, I will
never forgive them for that wcrd rag
,ed,"' the man exclaimed.
Social settlements in America and
n England provide, without charge.
egal advice for those who need or
'esire 1t and cannot afford to pay a
lawyers fee, but in America no settle
ment ventures to wound the suscep-
Utilities OF the recipients by announc-
ing poor mans lawyer"