MR. CARNEGIE IN PRAISE OF POVERTY.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 155, 21 November 1896, Page 2

MR. CARNEGIE IN PRAISE OF POVERTY.

Mr. Andrew Carnegie is always Steresting (nays the Wedtiniuster).when ho writes on tho subject of wealth —or poverty. He is, as everybody knows, a millionaire several times over, and he tolls the readers' of Cus^ell'a Magazine how he one. But the portion of his paper which will al.traot most attention is what he says in praise of poverty. For instance: — " You kuow how people are all moaning t»bout poverty as being a great evil; aud it deems (o be accepted that if people only had money and were rich they would be happy and more useful, and get more out of life. There was never a greator mistake. As a rule, there is more happiness, more genuine nati»ftuition, and a truer life, and more obtained from life, in the humble cottages ot the poor than in. the palaces of the rioh." ' ' As a rule,'' it will be noted, Mr. Carnegie says. There are, of course, some notable exceptions. "THE SOIIi FROM WHICH VIRTUES GROW." That beinur Mr. Carnegie's opinion, he hxs, of course, no desire to see people well off. He goos on to say: — " It seoiim, now-a-days, a matter of uni versal desire that poverty should be übolished. Wo should be quite willing ti> abolinh luxury, but to nb>li.-<h poverty would be to destroy the only sou upon which mankind can depend to produce the virtues which ulone can ouub!e our race to reach a still higher civilisation than it now possesses." Well,possiblyßomeofthepoverty-Btrioken ones of the oarth would not mind changing places with the Pittsburg millionaire. How would Mr. Carnegie feel about it ?

The Uganda Railway is making headway at the rate of half-a-milo a day, now that the difficult piece of engineering involved in connecting the inlund of Mombui-a with the mainland has been aocompliobed. Such a rate,of construction—unparalleled in Africa— cannot, of course, be maintained when sundry well-knowu natural obstacles havo to be encountered. A sufflcent contrast is afforded in the slow progress of the Congo Railway on the other side of the continent. A Brussels telegram announces that the line has just reached Tumba, 187 kilometres from the starting point, Out of a total alignment of about 350. Begun in 1890, the hixtory of the enterprise has been one of disease, death, and financial problems ; since last October not more than 82 kilometres have been laid, and this seems to be the best record.