Wealth, Poverty, and the Millennium
By T
The New York correspondent of the London Mail, speaking of the possible international alliance in view of the Chinese difficulty, says, “The popular feeling here leans toward England, because of the certainty that her course will result in commercial advantage to the United States.” Selfish, grasping greed is the most marked characteristic of this age. And as the result of it colossal fortunes are gathered by a few, and there seems to be no thought on the part of this already overwealthy class, except to acquire still more millions. And at the same time there is all around us the most pitiful destitution and hopeless and helpless poverty. It is possible to see how a man, reveling in luxury, and always passing through the well-kept streets and elegant boulevards, could throw off ecstatic utterances about the dawning of the millennium; for truly wealth and skill can fashion most beautiful things. But turn away from these abodes of wealth, into the dark alleys and filthy lanes of our cities, and behold the degradation, misery, wickedness, and poverty, and then think of the constantly increasing millions who are in these social sinks, and where is the boasted millennium? Facts, tho sometimes not quite so pleasant to look at, are nevertheless much better than fanciful fiction.