Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-04-21

| fear that these cOnultlonS are Often
| aggravated by the inordinate greed of
the millionaire, and their utter dis
regard for those who have not the
comforts and necessities of life.
| 1t is doubtful if we can look for
better conditions until Social
, Science penetrated and saturated by
a Christian Spirit, shall create a
| healthier atmosphere and more
wholesome surroundings for the
| masses. We must not forget that the
masses are helpless to secure such
| advantages for themselves, receiving
as they do, barely enough wages to
keep soul and body together. Re
member, now we are speaking of the
masses, and not OF the exceptions.
AS long as the poor are suffered to
remain in such poverty as is found in
many of our cities: as long as fanli-
lies are compelled to huddle together
in quarters that are inferior to the
stockyards of wealthy men; and so
| long as every form of temptation is
permitted to exist to allure them,
and again SO long as the average wage
| is inadequate to keep their heads
above the water, we may not expect
| to see Angels produced, or a New
Heaven established on earth. Re
J ligious tracts and bibles and occasion
al visits by city missionaries can do
very little among populations which
are blinded and hardened by circum-
stances such as these. Here is where
| infidelity is BRED It is here that
adherence for ecclesiastical superior
| ity is engendered and it is because
| of this that a constant and increas-
| ing unrest and antagonism against
capital is fermented, and more or less
sympathy with communism is foster
| ed. These are some of the causes
which are forcing themselves upon
us, and that too, by eompulsion if
need be, that we may reconstruct
a basis of equality and create a com
monwealth with neither surplus
wealth nor. unequal burdens.
It is true that such deplorable
| conditions, such as I have. but meag-
| erly touched, do not exist in every
| community, or at least in the same
degree, but the causes for them are
| the same and must be overcome as
: speedily as possible, So that our
great populations may have, an equal
| chance in the pursuit of happiness,
untrammeled by greed or tyranical
| power.
No one will deny that there are
constitutional disparities in men, and
that these will surely work them
selves out into tangible results in the
fierce struggle of life. Some men are
naturally more skillful than others,
and some are more Industrious than
others. and yet again some are more
temperate than others, and more pru-
dent and virtuous; and these will
excel where the vicious and indolent
and the Incompetent will fail. Inc
more thoughtful men know that to
make an equal divide of the wealth
Of the world, that befoer week will
have passed, some will have
souandered and wasted, while others
will have gained. Along with our
natural endoWments and capa 5liltles,
and habits we all decide and fix our
destinies: but we should not forget
that these mentioned inequalities are
frequent and fertile occasions OF
wrong between individuals ana
classes. The wealthy are, on the
one hand, often inconsiderate OF the
conditions of the poor, while the poor
are sometimes suspicious and resent
fui towards the rich, and under
nroyocations, assert themselves:
II am somehow led to believe that
Jesus the Master had in his mind the
sin of Indifference and neglect on the
Enart of the rich and self-sat1sfed
This reconsideration was in the eyes
of God both wrong and criminal. II
is the same kind of cr1m1nallty as
that which prompts man to deal out
intoxication to his fellew-man, CIV
ing no value received When Jesus
made reference to the great contrast
between these two characters, ne
meant this, we are as much as we
are able. to help each other. NO
man. because of his millions, mas
any inherent right to lord it over
his neighbor. But right here fancy
I hear some one say, Has not a.
| man the Just right to do what he
pleases with his own money? May
| he not spend as much as he desires
upon himself. or his friends, even TO
the point of Indulgence provided 1t
| he NOT vicious? Well, that at first
/ thought might seem his privilege, but
on 4 moments reflection the fniquity
/ and folly of such license is reveal
"a Every man IS menber of a
cnnaIn1nity which has burdens and
responsibilities, and # any one may
| ignore these responsibilities and OBJ
i legations. then all may. This would
soon ruin society.
Not only does Christian religion
Edemand that the strong shall bear the
i infirmities Of the weak but the state
shall also see to it that her free in
stitutions be maintained by q system
0f taxation SO that va do not decay
81 drift back into Barbarism.
Oh, yes. the gospel Of the Nazarene
is the only real tangible assurance We
have Of betterment Of conditions.
There ~ school Of Social