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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.

It is useful to again emphasize that statement given in the newspaper article quoted in this introduction, that the Blind labor under many difficulties, some of which could be removed by legislation, and many others could be removed by an enlightened Public Opinion. It is the duty of every worthy member of Humanity to lend an ear to this matter, and grasp the information that will remove the all but universal ignorance concerning the Blind, and which works a severe injury to a people already unfortunate. No one can find honorable refuge in the hackneyed excuses, "I am too busy", or "Other interests take up all my time." CLEAR THINKING can and shall rule the world, can and shall solve all problems, but to attain this, we must have an enlightened public. Each individual man and woman must be conscious of the facts. "The Problem" is the opportunity, and the only opportunity, as no other periodical in the world is devoted to the publication of these truths. The subscription price is placed at cost, and even in the early life of the Magazine, the subscription list should contain a million names. No one can have knowledge while ignorant of the cats, and the facts about the Blind have never been circulated. Who will remain in ignorance when Knowledge costs by a dime? And who will have the hardihood to say, "I do not care to know these things. The matter does not interest me, I am indifferent," when their knowing would prove a substantial aid to the Blind throughout the country, and the world?

"The Problem" has been made the official organ of the American Blind People's Higher Education and General Improvement Association and will publish all of the Official Proceedings of the Society. It has also been recognized in similar capacity by the two associations among the Blind in Kansas the Kansas Institution for the Education of the Blind Alumni Association, and the Kansas Branch of the American Association.

If Congress passes the Bill now under consideration, it will confer a blessing upon a benevolent public, and particularly, to those blind persons who are seeking a higher education than is afforded by the existing state schools for the Blind.

Granting that provision will be made by Congress for the Higher Education of the Blind, we must remember that laws can do but little good unless sustained by an intelligent and powerful Public Sentiment. We here find the great purpose of the existence of "The Problem" and we respectfully urge all readers to take a real interest in these truths that each may be a soldier in the Work.