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Article THE GENERAL ASSURANCE ADVOCATE. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The General Assurance Advocate.
dominion , numerous and wealthy colonies , largo ancl profitable commerce , unbounded power , and aggregate wealth , furnish no trustworthy indications of the condition of the bulk of a people . That when giant strides have been made in science—when steam speeds us over land ancl water—when electricity does our bidding , ancl becomes our messenger —when , acre for acre , our land produces more of the necessaries and
luxuries of life—when the iron limbs of thousands of machines are performing the hard labour formerly portioned out to thewes and sinewswhen resources are gathered together in bounteous plenty—when , in short , humanity might fairly hope that its toil should , by virtue of man ' s increased command over the elements , ( jbecome lighter , and his means ancl opportunities for enjoyment more abundant and easy to be
obtained—work is far more onerous than ever , when it can be procured , ancl far worse remunerated , and utter destitution for thousands is more and more imminent and unavoidable . It is the fact , that while wealth is piled up on the one hand , poverty is in a like , if not in a greater ratio , heaped up on the other . An eminent political economist ( Mr . Laing ) ventures upon the opinion that
all this happens under the operation of what almost seem to be fixed ancl necessary laws . AVe must most emphatically dissent from that opinion . If it were true that as civilization spreads—as art and _ science renders new powers available—as riches are gathered together , misery , destitution , and degradation , with their concomitants vice and crime , are fated to abound—then every true lover of humanity , every man who
really wishes for the happiness of his fellows , would at once essay to stunt growing intellect , dwarf down rising capabilities , stop the advancing power of production , and if not , considering its impossibility , essay a return to savagery and barbarism , fasten a clog upon the ' accelerating wheels of progress . But we are more satisfied with the present , bad as it unquestionably
is ; we look more cheerfully upon the capital and resources around , and have far more hope of the future . AA ' e believe that the wealth of the present is destined to create a happy and prosperous future , and that all might be more prosperous and happy now were it not that some in their wilfulness , obstinacy , and selfishness , ancl others in their blindness and ignorance , have ignored the existence of one of the most important ancl primary principles upon which all true ^ systems of society must be founded , and to a more particular mention of which we shall presently
come . Be that true or untrue , this fact at least is evident , that a great part of our evils are attributable to the circumstance that , the immense bulk of the people of all civilized countries , as well as of this England of ours , live , as it were , from hand to mouth . They depend upon mere daily
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The General Assurance Advocate.
dominion , numerous and wealthy colonies , largo ancl profitable commerce , unbounded power , and aggregate wealth , furnish no trustworthy indications of the condition of the bulk of a people . That when giant strides have been made in science—when steam speeds us over land ancl water—when electricity does our bidding , ancl becomes our messenger —when , acre for acre , our land produces more of the necessaries and
luxuries of life—when the iron limbs of thousands of machines are performing the hard labour formerly portioned out to thewes and sinewswhen resources are gathered together in bounteous plenty—when , in short , humanity might fairly hope that its toil should , by virtue of man ' s increased command over the elements , ( jbecome lighter , and his means ancl opportunities for enjoyment more abundant and easy to be
obtained—work is far more onerous than ever , when it can be procured , ancl far worse remunerated , and utter destitution for thousands is more and more imminent and unavoidable . It is the fact , that while wealth is piled up on the one hand , poverty is in a like , if not in a greater ratio , heaped up on the other . An eminent political economist ( Mr . Laing ) ventures upon the opinion that
all this happens under the operation of what almost seem to be fixed ancl necessary laws . AVe must most emphatically dissent from that opinion . If it were true that as civilization spreads—as art and _ science renders new powers available—as riches are gathered together , misery , destitution , and degradation , with their concomitants vice and crime , are fated to abound—then every true lover of humanity , every man who
really wishes for the happiness of his fellows , would at once essay to stunt growing intellect , dwarf down rising capabilities , stop the advancing power of production , and if not , considering its impossibility , essay a return to savagery and barbarism , fasten a clog upon the ' accelerating wheels of progress . But we are more satisfied with the present , bad as it unquestionably
is ; we look more cheerfully upon the capital and resources around , and have far more hope of the future . AA ' e believe that the wealth of the present is destined to create a happy and prosperous future , and that all might be more prosperous and happy now were it not that some in their wilfulness , obstinacy , and selfishness , ancl others in their blindness and ignorance , have ignored the existence of one of the most important ancl primary principles upon which all true ^ systems of society must be founded , and to a more particular mention of which we shall presently
come . Be that true or untrue , this fact at least is evident , that a great part of our evils are attributable to the circumstance that , the immense bulk of the people of all civilized countries , as well as of this England of ours , live , as it were , from hand to mouth . They depend upon mere daily