The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-03-24
A Tradcsman on Proverty's Causes.

A TradcsmGn on Proverty's Causes.
I have noticed discussions OF the
question of the adVisability of install
ling free lunch system in the public
schools, and would like as an ordin-
AIRY citizen TO tender my opinion as
to the causes and the remedy for this,
in my opinion, little needed charity.
| have for many years been a
tradesman. mostly in the poorer sec
tlons of Manhattan and Brooklyn;
have been thrown into close contact
with the poorer classes there, and am
nearly able to give an accurate ac-
count OF poor mans income and ex-
penditures.
am now located in the poorest
section of Brooklyn, where | have
large holdings of real estate, and per-
haps $50 tenants OF various classes
such as shopkeepers and private
dwellers.
To begin with, there would be no
want. nor need for free lunch depots,
were poor parents willing to invest
large percentage of their earnings in
staple goods and meats. AS it is now
the lions snare of their earnings goes
toward maintaining saloons and
iAHuci pNOa ~ IL "hiShg
breakfast. beer and crat ;ers for
breakfast, and beer again for early
lunch; with beer twenty cents, and
bologna five cents. for midday lunch
beer twenty cents and stew meat five
cents for supper; and a continual beer
and cracker feast for the entire family
till bed hours. A fair share of the
poor children are fed on free lunch in
ppanh nf
where parents send them for their
beverage. OF course, there are ex-
ceptions but among the most needy
ones these foregoing facts may easily
be verified. Yes. indeed, t rarely a
family with four or more children.
where the mans wages vary from $40
to SIS per week, subsists upon bread.
jelly, bologna and crackers. The bal
ance of the wages. excepting perhaps
s1.50 per week for rent, goes to sa-
looms. Clothing is a third considera-
tion.
To emphasize this, | will here give
an illustration:
| am the owner of ten store proper
ties. comprising nearly all the busi-
ness outlet on one block. Included in
these | have four corners, two OF
which are occupied as liquor and beer
saloons OF the other properties, six
stores are butcher. barber, dry goods.
grocer. baker. tin and stove store, and
two stores are idle. The two saloons,
one on each corner, bring me larger
annual revenue than the remaining
eight properties, including the two
other corners Furthermore. the sa-
loonkeepers are prospering, whereas
my other store keeping tenants In the
various lines. arranged without one
competing with another, are barely
making their living The meat mar
ket in particular is now and again
closed for lack of business.
Neither high license nor any other
scheme can be put in force to obllter-
ate the making and sale of intoxi-
cants; but people can manage and
should be compelled to properly feed
and clothe their children. My illus
tration would, / feel satisfied. be
corroborated by general statistics, for
were we 10 canvass the so-called
poorer districts we would find two
prosperous saloonkeepers to each
yender of daily necessities.
! would suggest the planning OF a
few compulsory establishments, where
dellnquents and don't cares" could
be placed. and contribute there work
enough to satisfy their childrens
proper wants. Perhaps by such
method man would be brought to a
better habit OF disposing OF his hard
acquired earnings. 1t would put an
end TO free lunch systems. and allevi-
ate many charity abuses. What is
more, our future generations would
not be built upon the foundation of
pauperism. and II would improve So
ciety morally q. Martin Jurgenson.
Brooklyn, in The American.