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Is Respectfully and Lovingly Dedicated and Addressed to the Human Family --To Each Member of That Great Reading Public Whose Aggregate Thought and Feeling, and Consensus of Opinion Constitute the Intelligence of the World

Dear Friends in the Higher and True Sense.

Sincere Greeting: --

The present enterprise is of recent growth. Now is the auspicious occasion. The American Blind People's Higher Education and General Improvement Association is broadly national, and ready for practical work; and through its Special Commission for Immediate Action, has a bill embodying its desires, now in the hands of Congress. Not alone with the Blind, but with all people, classes and interests, there is restless activity; for it is a great day. Signs of progress among the Sightless is but evidence in a single particular of a universal Race Movement and development whose permutations reach not only every class, but every individual human being. The bugle blast has sounded the command, the hosts are advancing, the old century having entered on the last year of its being is hastily folding its tents, and on every side is movement -- not of decay, but of rejuvenating life. The World's Problem is to be analyzed in the light of the highest human wisdom. The specific difficulties that have depressed the Blind for centuries are to be lifted by an enlightened public sentiment and the strong arm of Congress. It is an age of great individuals and great achievements, and the Race is dwelling in the consciousness of an all-pervading intellectual and spiritual revolution. Thus it was in the full consciousness of Evolving Life -- in a moment of intensified thought, and spiritual force, this child, The Problem, our quarterly, was born. May it be blessed by a long life of usefulness, and may it realize "the rarer, better truer self," of which George Elliot so beautifully sang.

As a text for what is to follow we will give in full a highly appreciated notice that appeared first the Kansas City Times, and later the Leavenworth Evening Standard both of Dec. 28th, under different head-lines.

"PROFESSOR McGILL'S MAGAZINE. WELL KNOWN BLIND MAN ENGAGED IN LITERARY WORK." -- (Standard.)

"THE BLIND'S PROBLEM. PROFESSOR D. WALLACE Mc GILL ABOUT TO PUBLISH QUARTERLY." -- (Times.)

"Congress man Curtis has notified Dr. Wallace McGill, Professor of Musical Theory and Psychology at the Kansas Conservatory of Music in this city, that he has introduced his bill making provision for the Higher education of the Blind, and in addition, the Professor has received many letters from Congressmen not only approving the Movement, but have volunteered to work for the passage of the Bill.

The Professor is a Leavenworth boy and at an early age lost his sight through sickness. (In the twelfth year by an accidental discharge of a shot-gun.) He received a good education and is devoting his talents for the amelioration of the Blind. He has just undertaken the publication of a quarterly magazine to be called "The Problem," devoted to the interests of the Blind."

The Professor states that there are some seventy-five thousand blind people in the United States. He thinks that many of the difficulties under which they labor could be removed by legislation and many others by an enlightened public opinion, for a gross ignorance exists among for the Masses as to Blindness and the capabilities of the educated Blind.

The Professor asks the public to support his "Problem." He places the subscription price at ten cents per annum."

The Bill attributed to the editor of the "Problem" in the foregoing newspaper article is not his, other than by adoption. It stands revealed as a materialized precipitate of thought from the American Association and was the special work of the Association's Board of Commissioners, of which A.M. Shotwell of Michigan is Chairman, and the present writer a member. The Measure was drafted in legal form by Edward J. Nolan of Chicago, member of the Commission, President of the Association, and a blind attorney of experience and ability.

This new magazine is beginning in a really modest manner, but the work it has to do is indeed great and noble. It is to deal with the Blind in particular, and Humanity in general.

Its name, "The Problem," given in expanded form would read, Humanity's Problem and its Phases, or the Sox Great Problems and Their Satelites -sic-. The special problems to receive first consideration are those of Benevolence and Education; and the Satelite -sic- upon which attention is to be focused, is the Blind. Each number of the Magazine will contain some eleven thousand words of reading matter aside from any possible advertisements, and the four regular numbers of the first volume will appear in January, April, July and October of 1900, respectively. There will be possible extras when matter of special interest is on hand calling for publication.

There is an average of one blind person to every one thousand of the population, and while some occupy exceedingly humble places in Society, others are to be found in the professional walks of Life. Rev. Dr. Milburn, Chaplain of the United States Senate, and Rev. Dr. Couden, Chaplain of the House of Representatives, are blind, and have raised themselves to these positions by intrinsic worth.