Making Anarchists by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Feb 15, 1910

Making Anarchists

By Editor

Ella Wheeler Wilcox quotes a bright man as saying that what helps to make anarchists is "the indifference of scores of people born rich to the needs of their creditors." Many of them will go on and withhold from the poor whom they owe for months small sums due, because it is of very little importance to them. She declares that a milk dealer once told her that families in New York whose names were synonyms of wealth and aristocracy often allow bills of $50.00 to $70.00 to go unpaid for years. And newspaper accounts with poor newsboys run up to $25.00 unpaid, tho the bills had been presented six times. Teachers, seamstresses, coal merchants, milliners, restorers of furniture, all tell the same tale. The millionaire is busy with big things, and leaves his secretary to attend to these bills; and the secretary considers the small bills unimportant, and puts them aside while he attends to "more serious" matters.

Mrs. Wilcox remarks, "As if anything could be more serious than the needs of the man or woman dependent upon the small hard-earned income," and then she declares that more frequently, the fault of these neglected bills lies with the women of wealth rather than with the men; and the lesson she draws from it is that children should be taught to meet their obligations promptly.

We hope her article will reach the homes and hearts of those who are guilty in this respect. It is the same story everywhere. Go into any town you will, and you will find that the people who pay their bills the most promptly are generally the poorer people, who are temperate and frugal. Would that the wealthy people could appreciate not only the inconvenience and suffering which they cause, but would set such an example that it would be followed all through the ranks of business!