The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-09-05
The Multiplication OF Great For
tunes.

resident Of Hoboken died in Europe the
other day, leaving behind him property estima-
ted at SIS, 600, 900. Within year also one cill-
zen OF this city has died and left an estate oi
Sl4 600 OOO and another an estate OF 30, O0O, OOO
The fortunes of the living cannot, OF course, De
so accurately computed ; but every one VINO mas
mixed for any length Of time in mercantile socie-
ty can point to this worth $50, OOO, OOO,
that one worth $25, 900, 600, another worth $40,
600 900. another worth $4,000, 900 and as to
those who are credited with the possession Of
somethino less than the last named sum, they
are too numerous to be specially worth remark
ing In fact, a million to-day confers much less
distinction on its owner, here in New York, than
hundred thousand used TO twenty-five years
ago Great fortunes have so multiplied that
they have made small ones still smaller by COM
parson, and they continually increasing in num-
Der and amount.
The causes of this frequent concentration of
large masses of properly in the hands Of individ-
uals in these latter days, are not hard 10 dscoV-
er The whole country has grown rich during
| the past quarter of century at an acceleraiing
speed. Our fathers planted, and we are now
reaping the harvest They suffered all the mis-
cries OF ii new and savage country, explored and
surveyed it, drove out the Indians, broke the
chains of colonial dependence, established COM
merce and manufactures, laid out roads, and
made canals and railways, for many years, with
out receiving any great recompense. Suddenly,
however, their investments began to show their
value This Western wilderness, so long and
patiently cultivated, now proves its intrinsic
prOduciiveness. Our canals, railroads, farms,
manufactures and other machinery for creating
wealth. have begun instead of absort ing money
and laior, to pay buck handsome returns aud
their individual owners have been made rich
cordngiy. Thus i, has happened that the sons
OF men who, while they lived had hardly income
enough 10 meet their expenses, are mllliot"ifrs
City lots the taxes upon which were paid with
reluctance, have acquired fabulous values. Rail-
road stocks, once considered worthless have
turned out dividends of 10, 20 and even 80 per
cent. per annum. Lands out West, which could
not he sold for 81 % per acre, are now gladly
bought up at S25 and $50 per acre and where
towns and cities have been located upon them,
their price is beyond Computation So mines All
coal lands and other possessions of the same kind
which formerly were assumed 10 he not worth
locking alter, have, within Il comparatively short
period, risen immensely on the hands OF those
who were almost ashamed TO confess that they
owned lhem This consideration alone is sufli-
cient to explain the origin Of many of the great
fortunes to which we have referred. They are the
legitimate fruits of ancestral toll and saving
Then, too, this accession Of wealth, resulting
from the development of the country's resources,
makes it easier Tor new beginners who have had
no help from their fathers TO build up fortunes
themselves Where there is so much money to
spend, shrewd men redily profit by the spend
ing OF it, All commerce is an exchange OF com
modities, either directly, or through the agency
OF selling one thing for money, and with that
money buying another thing In these exchang-
es, which are constantly going on in every civ-
lized community, he who can produce a really
desirable article, and sell it AT profit, cannot
help getting rich One does it by furnishing the
fashionable world with silks, satns, and laces
another by selling tobacco or champagne, or
whiskey another by manufacturing cotton cloth
another by building houses, and so on. Evident
ly, the greater the expenditure of society on all
such articles, the larger will be the total profits;
and so, now that are thirty millions of people,
and are stocked with all kinds of factories, rail-
roads, and machinery, those who can make money
al all, can make it faster and more oft than they
could when we were fewer in number, and had
not got our property into paying condition.
But ii still remains question whether this in
crease in the multiplication and growth ofprivate
fortunes is or is not benefit to society. Looking
at the subject without prejudice, it must be ap-
parent that every ything depends upon the manner
in which they are used. They are like a great
steam engine, or piece of machinery, which may
be made 10 act just as the man who controls it
chooses There are many good as well. evil
easy OF accomplishment. Great mining and
operations, for instance, can only
be carried on by the aid of "A large capital rail
roads can only be built in the same manner; and
many branches of commerce would be idle were
It not for the wealth Of those who engage in them.
Besides, Peter Cooper and George Peabody are
shining examples of what good rich man may
10 in benevolent way which poor man cannot.
We must trust to the spread ofeducaton and re-
igion to take care of the question suggested, and
,e thankful for the present that the great fortunes
If Americans have not, as yet, done any mischief
which is beyond repair.-N Y. Sun.