Evening journal., 1909-12-29
The Bnited Pub
"Wednesday, December 20. 1909
THE DARK AND THE BRIGHT.

NJRlNG the Christmas season there are al
~ ways those who look to the dark side Of
things, who amid the gayety and festivity and
good cheer turn to the other page and see the
misery and want and suffering in the world In
this manner a New York newspaper in discuss
ing the large beneiactions and charity, ventures
the opinion that such gifts show on the whole
that the world is not getting better but that the
condition of hundreds of thousands is becoming
worse-that they need help, and the greater the
gifts the greater the need of them. The gifts
not keeping pace with the necessities. 1t
does seem to be law of civilization of growth
under present industrial conditions, that as
ecapital and money accumulate there is great
wealth on one hand and great poverty on the
other-that where the wealth is the greatest,
around the corner the poverty is the keenest.
There is more real distress in the great cities
where millionares are plentiful than i'll the coun-
try districts where man of few thousands is
regarded as a man in comfortable circumstances,
If not rich.
Granting this to be true, we cannot figure how
the opening of purse strings is a sign that pow
erty is increasing more than may naturally be
expected with the tendency we have mentioned
above Comparatively speaking we do not be-
lieve that in the history of the country there has
ever been a time when more has been given
away than at present The poor we have had
always with us, but when if ever before has so
much interest been taken in their welfare as at
present? Ii may be said that never before have
tribute from their well-stored Golfers without
real loss. men with much money that some
OF them are puzzled how they shall dispose OF
it. Granted, but these things must be consid-
cred on a comparative basis. Did the well-to-do
say Of fifty years ago look after the unfortunates
i'm the same manner as they are doing to-day
Ne think not
There has BEEN we take it of late years 4
change in sentiment in all these matters. Once
the prevailing doctrine in business and in poiti-
cal economy doctrine that taught and
accepted-was that selhshness was the founda
ton Of all business of all the relations of ons
man to another in life. And that doctrine is
dominant to-day but it is not 50 strongly en-
trcnched as it once was. Ethics, unselhshness
the more equitable distribution of wealth, are
preached from pulpits, debated in societies, dis
cussed from mouth to mouth by those who take
a higher than the materialistc view of life. We
see this exemplihed in the contributions for thC
support of hospitals, aid TO the sick and needy
the giving away of millions of dollars for edu
cational purposes, contributions for every gooC
cause The ethical side of life is taught in th'
modern text books, studied in the institutions o
learning 1t finds expression in the fraterna
societies which are dispensing more help thar
ever before.
Ii is true that in common parlance we hea
that we are all "after the dollar, and that W.
are going to get it. But to many men when thel
get the dollar they find it of less satisfaction
than they had hoped. The real pleasure was II
pursuing the dollar, for as in many other thing
anticipation is more pleasurable than realiza
ton.