The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17

| overpopulation the cause of poverty in
| Ireland? Within the last fifty years the
population of Ireland has been reduced
| by more than half. Four millions OF
| people have been eNterminated by fam
| Inc or got rid OF by emigration, but
| they haven't got rid of the poverty.
| Perhaps you think that half the peo-
pie In this country ought to be exter-
minated as well. That's the sort OF
opinion that philanthroplsts like you,
who spend your lives In slavery for
other people. might be expected to hold"
Here owen was seized with u violent
NJ OF coughing and resumed his seat.
! When the cough had ceased he sat WHIP
ing his mouth with his handkerchief
and listening to the talk that ensued.
Drink is the cause of most OF the
poverty" said Slyme.
This young man had been through
some strange process which he called
conversion" He had had n "change
OF art" and looked down with pious
pity upon those he called worldly" peo-
pie. He was not worldly" he did not
smoke or drink, and never went to
the theatre. He had an extraordinary
notion that total abstinence was one of
the fundamental principles of the Chris
tian religion. 1t never occurred TO
what he called his mind that this doc
trine is an insult to the Founder OF
Christianity.
Yes" said Grass. agreeing with
Slyme, AN there's plenty of 'em wots
too lazy to work when they can get It,
Some OF the swine who go about plead
ing poverty ave never done a fair days
work in all their bloody lives. Then
there's all this new tangled machinery"
continued Grass. chats wot's ruinln
| everything. Even in our trade there's
them machines for trimmin' wall paper
an now they've brought out n paintin
machine. There's pump an n 'ose
pipe, an they reckon two men can dc
as much with this ere machine as
twenty could without it."
Another thing Is women" said Har.
low; there's thousands Of EN- nowadays
dom work wot oughter be done by
men"
I'm my opinion there's too much OF
this ere dedication, nowadays" re.
marked old Linden; "wot the ellis tn,
good OF dedication to the likes of us?"
None whatever" said Grass. "It Just
puts foolish ideas into peoples eds ant
makes EN- too lazy to work"
owen was listening TO this pitiabl,
farraso with feelings OF contempt ant
wonder. Were they all hopelessly stu.
pid? Had their intelligence never de-
veloped beyond the stage of childhood,
Or was he mad himself?
EARLY marriages Is another thing,
said Slyme. NO man oughtn't to b,
allowed to get married unless he's in Z
position to keep family"
How can marriage be cause O
poverty? said Owen, contemptuously
"A man who Is not married is living al
unnatural life. Why don't you continu
yonr argument little further and sa,
that the practice OF eating and drinking
~ the cause OF poverty, or that IL ,mool
were to go barefoot and naked Their
would be no poverty? The man VIII,
Ia so poor that he cannot marry is 1,
condition OF poverty already"
"Wot l mean." said Slyme, as tina
no man oughtn't to marry I'll no.
saved up enough SO as to ave som.
money in the bank: an another thing
reckon man oughtn't to get marie,
Till e's got n 'ouse OF Is own. IT.,
easy enough to buy one in n buildin,
society If you're in regular work"
, AT this there was a general laugh.
, why. you bloody fool" said Harlow
, scornfully, most OF us is walkin' abou
arr our time. It's all very we'll for yo,
/ to talk; you've got almost n constan
job on this firm. If they're dom any
thing at all you're one OF the few wo
gets show in. And another thing
, he added, with a sheer. 1--WE don't al
go to the same chapel rs old Misery"
"Old Misery" was Rushton and Com
pany's manager or walking foreman
Misery" was only one of tho nick
names bestowed upon him by the hands
he was also known as "Nimrod" ant
'Pontius Plate"
And wot about drink" demande,
old Joe Philpot suddenly.
, Ear ear" cried Harlow. That
the bleedin' talk. ] wouldn't min,
avin' arr a pint now II somebody els
i Will pay for it."
Joe Phllpot--or, as he was usual,
/ called. cold Joe"-was in the habit o
INDUCING rather freely in the cup tina
/ inebriates. He was not very old, be
| Ing only little over so. but he locke,
much older. lie had lost his wife som,
five years ago and was now alone il
the world, for his three children hac
died in their infancy. Slyme's referenc,
to drink had reused Philpot's indig
, nation; he felt that II was directed
against himself. The muddled condi
ton OF his brain did not permit hin
to take up tho cudgels In his own he
half. but he knew that, although over
was teetotaler himself. he disliket
Slyme.
There's no need for us to talk abou
, drink or laZiness." returned owen. i'm
patiently, because they have nothing
to do with the matter. The question is
what Is the cause of the lifelong poverty
of the majority OF those who are no
drunkards and who do work? Why. II
byI some miracle all the drunkards ant
won't works and unskillcd or inefficient
workers could he transformed into sober
Industrious, and skilled workers to-mor.
row, It would, under the present condi,
: lions, be so much the worse for us. be.
cause there isn't enough work for al
now. and those people. by increasing
the competition for what work there is
would inevitably cause n reduction OF
wages and "A greater scarcity Of EN-
ployment The theories that drunken
ness. laziness. or inefficiency are the
causes OF poverty are so many devices
invented and fostered by those who are
selfshly interested in maintaining the
present state Of affairs, for the pur-