The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-01-14
McCune Drug Store Paper House. Barn and Carriage
FORMER TINES NO BETTER.


Whea you are discouraged with
the progress of events read history.
1t doesn't matter much what, so that
it is standard, reliable history.
If you are a lover of justice il
makes you boil with indignation
even now when you think of the
monstrous inequalities of conditions:
the tyranny the masses have TO-
suffer in countries and the discrimi-
nations they have to endure even in
this, the best land on the globe.
AS you think of the grasping greed
that prevails in the market place;
the Intriguing; the shameless viola
tlon Of law; the dishonest methods
of acquiring wealth that are so
common the heartlessness wits
which the weak are often trampled
down and ruined by the strong; you
may be tempted to say that~the
world is growing worse and worse.
When you get in that frame OF
aiRd read history and lose your
| pessimism. Far as the world is
from the ideal condition when every
Mxn, woman aud child that is born
into it will be given a fair deal, a
real right to the life, liberty and
pursuit of happiness that the
| Declaration of independence says
is his lnalenable heritage, you mas,
acknowledge that conditions are
better for the poor than they have
ever been before.
There is more of general and
effective charity than there ever was
before in all the worlds history.
Poor there are still in great abund
ance. Millions are still compelled
to live in novels amid unsanitaTy
surroundings and with insufficient
food and clothing, bat the con
dltions of the poor in no city Ia the
United States at least, are as
deplorable as they were geaeration
ago.
They are better fed, better clothed
and better ,housed than they were
then. Free Fairgrounds supported
either by private or public contribu-
tions have become co@mon in most
Of the great cities SO that the
children even of the poorest of the
poor can at least have the privilege
of breathing the pure air sometimes
and playing as every child born
into the world ought to be allowed
to play. Free hospitals have bsen
multiplied where the most poverty
stricken and unfortunate can have
clean beds and the care of skilled
attendants.
am not defending or apologizing
for the sslfishness and in my opinion,
short sighted policy that still permits
the crowded tenement house, the
sordid misery that still marks the
abode of abject poverty. The time
is coming when not only common
humanity, but cerrect political
economy will result in the abolish
ment of poverty as we now under
stand it and know it; when there
will be no more filthy, unsanitary
novels, no more starving and ragged
children. no more women bearing
the burden of hopeless, grinding
toll. l am simply saying that as
l read history | am convinced that
the poor are not SO pOor as they
were 500 years ago, or 100 years
ago or even so years ago.
A few hundred years ago even in
Merry England" the farmer and
the common laborer were regarded
by the ruling classes as no better
than so many slaves. The vassei,
without outward objection permitted
his lord and master to fasten chain
about his neck and lead him beside
his horse. The poor man in those
days must have had terror of the
law for there was hardly anything
he could do that was not an in
fringement to be punished by the
most frightful. penalties.