mat n, 1903. THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT. . ' '5
TO PREVENT POVERTY
Kollon Hadl Flnta Out the Best Wy to
Prevent Poverty and to Belle
r the Poor
(Written for Henry George Edition
of The Independent)
It can be shown that in many cases,
instead of preventing pauperism and
reckless waste, organized charity has
increased it. Charity is a palliative
designed to sustain "things as they
are" in our social institutions, for, on
account of the last resort furnished by
charity, men are induced to endure
the conditions in which they find
themselves. The time is past when,
as Professor Warner has said, "Char
ity was a method of saving one's soul,
a sort of fire insurance against the
contingencies of the future life."
This it is to be feared is only because
we have ceased to believe in the fire.
It is now insurance of another kind
insurance against ' social tornadoes.
But for charity, men would long ago
have swept away the order of things
as it now exists. That is the only
logical excuse for the socialistic state
aid to charities; for no real distinction
can be shown between giving free
corn and amusements; free education,
and free surgical help, or free shelter.
What would be the effect upon the peo
ple of our great cities, if, on some bit
ter morning, fifty people should be
found frozen to death on the Park
benches? The public would be shocked
out of tolerating "the : blessings of
things as they are;" yet many of the
poor of this great city go where they
had almost better be frozen to death;
to police lodging houses which may
eave the body, but destroy the soul.
There are fields which charity now
occupies which ought to be left vacant
I speak of such as attract to the cities
, a large number who, if left in the
-country, would support themselves
well. They come to the city assured
that if they find nothing to do, there
are at least plenty of places where
they can get shelter. After the panic
of 1873, the citizens' relief committee
appointed ex-Mayor Hewitt, Rev. John
Hall, '..nd other gentlemen in whom
the public had confidence to see whal
should be done to relieve the distress
in,th city. After a full investigation
they decided that the best thing to do
was to leave the matter alone, because
especial efforts would create ?& much
distress as they; relieved by attracting
to the city those who might make out
a living in the country.
We have made no progress in the
radical relief of poverty for eighteen
hundred years; we have not fewer
poor people; we have not less dis
tress. Nor do most of our efforts even tend
to lessen distress or pauperism. Model
tenement houses increase the crowding
about them, because, holding fewer
tenants than the buildings they sup
plant, they take up as much room;
and in addition their superior charac
ter increases the land value and raises
rent or attracts more Inhabitants to
the district. Free or cheap feeding in
terferes with small restaurants and
caterers, and does not in the long run
furnish as economical or as good a
food supply. But worse than all this:
where there are two men competing
for one job the man who will work the
cheapest will get the job, and the
man who can live the cheapest 'will
work the cheapest, so that the more
we supply charitable "aid of wages"
whether by housing, feeding, clothing,
or even amusing the workman, the
more we reduce his wages. That this
factor is indirect makes it none the
less powerful. We do the same thing
directly and consciously in our char
itable institutions by making gar
ments at prices with which the inde
pendent worker cannot possibly com
pete and live in decency, the loss com
ing out of the pockets of "all such as
are religiously and devoutly disposed."
It is sad but undeniable that our char
ities are nearly all destroyers of un
selfishness by the paid or perfunctory
performance of what ought to be done
directly from love, and are besides
actual factors in the creation of pau
pers. WTe are told to help the poor to
help themselves. The help they real
ly need is help to, get rid of us who
monopolize the earth and of our char
ities which are a device for keeping
astride of their, necks. Charity or
ganizations have done one good thing:
they have collected statistics, and dis
credited the claim that the main cause
of poverty is drunkenness. It , is the
other way, tin main cause of drunken
ness is misery and anxiety. They have
also shown conclusively that the
cause of poverty 13 not laziness; about
40 per cent of those who apply for
assistance to our society for improv
ing the condition of the poor (and
others show the same record) need no
help but an opportunity to work.
When the Pilgrim Fathers- came to
thi3 country' they brought little and i
found nothing here but land. Sup
pose some one had submitted to them
that he was out of worf ; those austere
toilers would have laughed ' at him.
They would have said, cut up that
wood; dig out those stones; spade that
field. As long as men can get land
there is no lack of work. But we
allow individuals to monopolize the
land. This is the first cause of pov
erty and of charity..
What should we do about it? Divide
the land anew? That would do no
good. The sensible and natural course
is where anyone has a monopoly - of
any kind, to make him pay to the rest
of the community its reasonable val
ue; as in law, when property is di
vided among heirs, if one takes all
the land, he pays the others who
take none. What we need Is access
to the land. Make it' unprofitable to
hold natural opportunities without
using them. Tax land values and oth
er natural monopolies up to the full
amount of their rent, and as they In
crease in value let the taxes increase
prux-iortionately. If we destroy spec
ulation in land remove the artificial
barriers to opportunity, and cease to
fine men for working by taxing
wealth, it will be as absurd for a
man to be "out 0f work" as it would
be for him to be "out of air."
I BOLTON HALL.
The Dreamer
(Written for Henry George Edition
of The Independent.)
"Only a dreamer," was Pharo's cold
'sneer, : .
When Moses, the cause of his poor
brother, plead.
"Only a dreamer a phantom-filled
seer,"
But his dream was of Freedom in
Tyranny's stead. "
Ah, Pharo! the jewels you set in your
crown , - :
Are paltry compared with-that "gem"
of the mind
Which dares to shine out against
tyranny's frown
Filling altars of love with the light
of mankind!
Vain boast! -O ye rulers, and princes,
and kings,
Your palaces, altars and thrones are
in dust,
But with love, that's immortal, pos-
tcrity siDoS
Of "Moses the meek" who was true
to his trust.
"Only, a dreamer this carpenter's son,
For Nazareth harbingers nothing of
, good,"
But scarce had the work of this
"dreamer" begun,
Than the tyrant and hypocrite awe
stricken stood. ,
What marve's of wisdom came forth
when he spoke!
What kindness and love in his ac
tions behold!
To his "trumpet of truth" earnest
spirits awake,
For truth is more precious than cof
fers of gold.
The multitude learned of this mess
age of peace,
His plea for the hungry, oppressed
and poor,
And a time when all hatred and war
ring should cease,
And Earth overflow with a bountiful
store.
The dreamer is gone but the dream
will come true,
For justice will conquer the world
with its power,
And Love will be lord of the work
that we do
And virtue shall blossom a heavenly
flower. ;
That "Kingdom" he promised will
come as a dawn,
And wisdom, and righteousness, then
shall unfold.
The treasures return (when the rob-
- bers are gone)
With more than was lost in the Eden
of old. ,
"He's only a dreamer," the wise men
declared,
When Genoa's youth turned his keel
to the west,
As they caught the last glimpse of this
"dreamer" who "dared"
They whispered, "Farewell," with a
sigh or a jest
Time passes the watchers grow
weary and few
And the friends of Columbus are
mourning his fate.
The time is forgotten,' he bade them
adieu,
And now his returning, no "dream
ers" await
But over the crest of the waves is
discerned
"A sail," ah, indeed! masses rushed
to the quay!
The "dream" has come true, and the
. "dreamtr" returned,
And the crowd that had hissed
him, is frantic with glee.
"Only a dreamer," proud Briton be-,
Y
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gan,
And laughed at a government minus
a "king."
The "rights of the king" versus "the
rights of the man"
Is the song which the tyrants and
plunderers sing.
But justice and liberty flame in the
eoul
Till nerves became steel and the Will
becomes law.
Till a handful of men in this mighty
control,
By such masterful manners hoi;?
Briton in awe.
Oh, Washington! you were a "dreamer
of dreams,"
But the hearts of a nation with grati
tude warm
As out of your dream the reality
gleams
Of a nation, a people, secure from the
storm.
a
The fire of the prophet is burning
again:
Henry-George as a "dreamer" of jus
Suchjaold declarations as "I am for
men"
Struck fear to the bosom of Liberty's
foes.
"He's only a dreamer," the critics ob-
serve
But "dreamers" are deaf to the sneers
of the world.
They know that the cause which their
labors deserve
Will soon have its beautiful banner
unfurl 3d.
Toil on little band, for the glimpse of
a dawn
Reflects on the cloud of oppression
and pain,
The midnight is past and the gloom
will be gone,
And the Earth, like an Eden, will
blossom again.
A "dreamer!" This man whose great
motto was "Man,"
Not a man asa tyrant or man as
a slave.
But equal and free, with a pow
er and a plan
From poverty's pang, all his brothers
to savs!
A "dreamer" inspiring the World
with his dream
A "dreamer" of good, not a doer of
harm
A "dreamer," but justice and love are
his theme
A "dreamer" which tyranny views
with alarm
'Tis better if Truth must be bound to
the stake,
And Justice and Liberty, prone in the.
dust,
To dream of heaven to come; than
awake,
To the horrible hell that Is
bred by the trust!
A. C. ALLISON.
Newport, KyV"
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WHAT THE 81KGLB TAXEIi SEES
(Written for Henry George Edition'
of The Independent)
What the single taxer sees is this:
No matter how many reforms ; you
make, no matter how much you in
crease the productiveness of men, no
matter how much.you educate people,
and make them good citizens and good
men, no matter how great your pub
lic improvements may be, no matter
how great improvements you make In
individuals or institutions or consti
tutions or governments, so long as
the absolute control of natural oppor
tunities and of the special privileges
.attached 'thereto belongs to a priv
ileged number, THEN THE RESULT
OP ALL YOUR REFORMS AND IM
PROVEMENTS IS TO ENHANCE
THE . WEALTH AND PRIVILEGE
AND POWER OF THIS -NUMBER,
OUT OF ALL PROPORTION TO THE
GOOD OF THE WHOLE.
The history of. European nations"
shows this by their wide separation
of classes. The history of America
is showing it every day more and
more. J. II. DILLARD.
New Orleans, La.