Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-03-26

HUMAN SYMPATHY.


The world is always within six
months of starvation without the adj
vent q. such special calamities as have
|toeefs3ksn Japan.
There seem to be 500, 900 people n
Chicago today who have nothing be-
tween them and starvation, except the
hand Of benevolence. A letter from
Chicago dated January IA, tells me that
there are 125,0 600 men there out OF work
and that the bread line" is daily
ie~ngthening, n the municipal lodging
by human waits glad to sleep ON the
a floor" This certainly implies
100000 suffering people. My friend
goes on to say that he feels guilty when
he sits down to a comfortable meal.
There is something terribly out OF
Joint with our genera When
a country so rich as the United States,
with no storms of serious proportions,
no earthquakes, no tidal waves, no vol
canoes hurting widespread destruction,
no sweeping catastrophe of any
should have within our borders so much
of want n misery.
The recent act of the Ford Automo-
bile company in distributing millions
among thousands of employees enapha-
sizes the fact hat very many great in
dustrial establishments are making vast
profits. all of which are being engroSsed
by a few so-called owners, while the
multitudes of operatives get just wages
enough to keep them in working con-
dition.
We must not for a moment lose sight
OF the many other manufacturers, VINO
are working along this line Of improv-
ing the condition of their operatives,
but there seems infinite room for an in
sympathy. We are much inclined 10
arrogate to ourselves vast improve
ments on the systems Of moribund
Europe, but q short visit, say to
Munich, a city Of 100000. would con.
vince n that even in hat country OF
real poverty. And children whose par
ents cannot properly care for them arc
fed and clothed and schooled at pupilo
expense.
Some time ago q Chicago paper print.
ed an incident having the true ring OF
human sympathy. A discouraged
young doctor in New York was visited
by his father, a Jersey farmer.
well my son how are you getting
on?"
Il am not getting on at all, I am not
doing anything at ALL" said the young
man.
The old gentleman spoke Of p%ersever-
ance and patience. Later In the day he
went with his son to a free dispensary
where the young man had an I'M
salaried position and spent an hour or
more there every day. The father sat
by, a greatly interested spectator.
while rs poor patients received help. As
door closed the old gentleman burst
forth, 3" Thought you told me that
you were not doing anything. Why, II
Z bad helped Is people in a month as
much as you have in one morning, l
would thank God that my life counted
for something"
There isn't any money in it though"
said the young mar somewhat ashamed.
Money shouted the old man scorn-
fully Money, what's money in COM
parison to being useful to your fellow
man? Never mind about money, keep
right along at this work every day. I
will go back to the farm and gladly
long as I live. Yes and sleep sound
every night with the thought that I
have helped You help your fellow man."
This incident is reprinted by Joe
Mitchell Chapple in his great book,
Heart Tl1robs," and it lifts the old
Jersey farmer into a higher nick in
flames Val Halla than many a one
whose name is sounded Ger the earth.
He brings to min q story told of John
Wesley. Toplady. h author of Rock of
Ages, abhorred the popular methods of
Wesley and his followers and in talk
he said, Doctor Gill, do you think we
shall see John Wesley when we get to
heaven DIR. Gill was by no means
an admirer of Wesley. but he was
modest and honest. E%esitating a mo-
ment he replied. mo, brother Toplady,
I don't think we shall. John Wesley
will be so close up to the throne Of
God and Vol and I SO far WA that
we shall never get sight of him."
(Signed) E. E.. Lewis.