Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-11-26
HELPING THE "sIIDDLE GLASS;

said that in America practically the
only people who really get ali there
is out Of life are either m%illionaires
or the so-called '~tlaboring classes"
There is a great deal in this. If the
truth were only known it would be
found that the heaviest burden al
most always falls on the man of
moderate means-the fellow who is
trying TO keep up appearances" but
whose income is barely sufficient to
make both ends meet under the cir
cumstances. In the churches, the
lodges, in societies and clubs of all
descriptions, in donations, fairs, en-
tertainments-in fact anything that
might be mentioned in which money
has to bear the brunt of the burden.
The man of moderate means is ex-
pected to give to everything-and
he usually does, if for no other
reason than to keep up appear
ances." No matter how much he
may be forced to pinch along with
private affairs, he must keep up the
show in order to maintain his station
in life. AS a result his existence is
one constant struggle. .. a.,
The rich man gives or refuses as
he sees fit. If he declines to donate
he may be called stingy, but his
wealth assures for him q position in
society so that his refusals are readi-
ly overlooked. AS for the laboring
man, he is looked upon as being too
poor to expect much Of. He makes
no pretense at keeping up. appear
ances." He has little or no social
requirements and is seldom sought
after when there are donations to be
made or when money is required for
this, that or the other. 1t is safe to
say that if the rich people gave in
proportion to their means as much
as the middle class man does,
there would be few charities begging,
church debts would not exist and
social events would be ably financed.
When capital andlabor become
involved in a struggle, as is frequent
ly the case, the middle, class are
the victims. In a coal strike the
rich mar can buy his coal nj matter
what the cost, and the poor man
finds a way of getting his coal
through charity of some sort, but the
middle class" must foot the bill.
The same is true of the trolley strike,
or any other form of labor that feels
that it, is not being treated justly.
The great middle class has to
suffer although a totally innocent
But as we remarked before, the
man of moderate mean is at last
receiving some consideration. We
refer to the announcement just made
by the Russell Sage Foundation. It
is planning a garden city on Long
Island to be made a modern subur-
ban town for the benefit of the
middle class man. 1t is no charity.
The Foundation expects to make it
a paying investment, but the "mid-
die class" man is to be given an
opportunity to be surrounded by
some of the Injuries of life and to
own his home under conditions that
will not require the everlasting
struggle to keep up appearances"
OF course, as soon as this suggestion
is made the cry arises, why not do
something for the "laboring mann"
But what is not being done for the
"laboring man" already?
One of the strongest articles ever
published appeared in the Saturday
Evening Post a few weeks g called,
Zone Way Out" 1t was the story OF
a New Englander who was employed
in a big mercantile house at about
$4,000 a year and who suddenly. lost
his job. He had been spending every
cent he could carr ito keep up ap-
pearances," AS result he found
himself penniless in a cold world and
without means Of making a living.
He saw the emigrant coming to
America with nothing, and within a
few years owning his own home and
other property besides. He Ques-
toned the mar who had cleaned out