The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-03-15
Poverty in the Midst of Wealth.

World in reference to the comments
of Mr.. Joseph Fels on the economic
system that has enabled Mr.. Rookie
Teller, Mr.. Carnegie and others, in
Guiding Mr. Fels himself, to Amass
such disgracefully large fortunes in
this country.
While reading the editorial, the
spectre of the five million men who
are unemployed and who are vainly
seeking a chance to work, the great
cities in which women faint and lit
tie children moan as a result of hun
ger, the strong men who every win
ter haunt soup kitchens and fight
and struggle with each other for
places in the bread line; the children
who are sent to school on an empty
stomach and are fed by charity at
noon-time, the other children who
ought to be at play or at school but
who are condemned to the drudgery
of the sweatshop or the factory-all
these rose up before me in vivid con-
trast, and was shocked and sick
ened.
Mr.. Fels calls the system that pro-
duces this most monstrous condition
a system of robbery, and it is. To
merely think of it is enough to cause
the heart of any decent humane man
to die in his bosom. I dislike to
think that it is thus. My mind and
heart revolts at the conclusion. /
would rather believe that 1t is sordid
silly muddle grown up out of centur-
les of violence and perpetuated
through centuries of stupidity ana
greed and that we would be glad to
be rid of it IL we could. But the
facts disprove the kindly theory.
Millions of dollars are expended to
induce the electorate to support 1t
with their votes; men Of ability are
subsidized by it; and when any man,
no matter how great may be his abil-
ity, or lofty his character, raises his
voice against the system, he is in
stantly silenced by force of ridicule.
Is there a jot or little of excuse
for it? Surely not. There is absor
lutely no excuse for the existence OF
poverty and distress in this country.
The springs of production are full to
overlooking. The means of Transport
tation and exchange are ample. Our
resources and area would suffice to
support a population Of one thousand
millions in comfort and plenty with
out our being crowded as Belgium
is today. Who, or what then, is re-
sponsible? 1t cannot be the very
Door; they are helpless and devoid
of influence 1t is the snug, COM
placent middle classes! They. are
a combination of sycophants and
knaves, who, far imaginary individ-
ual advantages, submit to the lead
ership of political tricksters, the
least of whose crimes Is treason to
humanity. For, with right inten-
tions and decent aspirations, such
vile conditions could not survive a
decade. In this wretched tumble OF
pelf, pilfering and patronage, 1t is
difficult for high minded gentle
man to maintain his equanimity.
For If we observe, day after day, the
masses of our fellowmen walk the
main streets Of their great cities,
note the domineering insolence of
the licensed DULLES who masquerade
as the Conservatives Of the public
peace, or If we turn our gaze upon
the captains of industry or the but
terflies of society, and see them, too,
toiling like slaves to appropriate the
wealth produced by others or vainly
seeking pleasure in fashions mean
and futile and ready to shrek with
fear and rage if voice like that OF
Roosevelt or Pinchot rings out upon
them in challenge-it is difficult at
such a time to believe that brutal
realism is not all powerful and that
the sermon on the Mount is of any
greater force than pretty little
Eastern metaphor But let no man
be deceived. God still reigns, and
the sermon on the Mount continues
to point steadily the way to the ideal.
And though the lamp of the ideal
may seem to flicker it cannot be ex-
tinguished, for it is kindled with fire
that burns at the heart of the uni
verse. It Is the greatest OF all ener-
gies and although stupid realists
many call it an irridescent dream, its
real name is justice, and to justice
we must yield or be destroyed. Too
long have we ignored her mandate
and she will not always be patient
This wretched condition must be
changed. The very stars in their
courses are fighting against it. The
issue. for the moment. is in the
hands of the insurgent republicans
and ourselves. Shall they and we
once more prove recreant to our
plain duty? II we are false to our
trust, the change may be postponed.
but its coming is none the less in
evitable. The only question it, will