The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-06-21
How Mighty Monopolist Came to I'm.
timeJr Grief.

HOW MlSnty MOnOpOnSt came 10 TN.
timeJr Grief.
[san Francisco Letter to the Baltimore SUM-
The recent failure of Mr.. Friedlander
for several millions of dollars, and the
causes that effected it, illustrate the
tendency to concentrate wealth and
power in opposition to the diffusion es-
sential to the maintenance of popular
government. If there be no way to
check it it is easy to foresee national
changes unpleasant to contemplate.
MIR. Friedlander has for years been
ambitious to control the grain trade of
California and to dictate to shippers the
charges for freights, especially for Eu-
rope. BY reason of his supremacy and
of his honorable dealing he has hitherto
represented a majority of European
buyers. His credit among farmers stood
always high, though once he failed at
the same business. He made advances
freely ON crops to be grown. This gave
him credit beyond its legitimate line, it
being considered safe to loan any
amount to be so used. This facility
tempted him to join the land monopoly
ring, which now hold nearly all the de-
sirable lands of California at figures to
drive away settlers. This policy so
checked sales that Mr.. Friedlander fail
ed to realize fast enough to pay mort
gage interest alone, to say nothing of
assessments to bring irrigating water,
necessary to give any value at all to his
lands for practical agriculture, where
no rain falls for eight months in the
year, and where a passable crop of but
one variety occurs once, perhaps, in
three years
Mr.. F. has interests covering half a
million of acres of lands in the dryest
parts of Southeastern California. He
had sold considerable to emigrants, who
knew nothing of the seasons. They
paid little in money, but promised much
from this years wheat, Mr.. F. having
advanced upon it thrice the amount re-
ceived. The drouth does not give them
a blade of grass nor kernel of wheat
this year, and unless he gives the buy
ers enough money to live another year
and to put in crop next winter, they
will forfeit the first installment and
s'vamose the ranch" This desertion
would scare off new purchasers, and re-
|
Advances to farmers in other parts of
the State, tenfold greater, will not be
half repaid by the short crop of this
year. No wonder the king of wheat
and the monopolist of land is brought
to grief, and many advocates of repub-
lican principles pray that this may be
the fate of all men who conspire to OPP
press the working poor by exacting fic-
titious prices for the domain which the
Government intended to put within fair
and equal reach of all at minimum
rates. Mr.. F., however, will get a fresh
start, because he has splendid head
and spotless reputation.
| Modern taste would consider this
little biography incomplete without a
sketch of the personal appearance of
the gentleman himself. Mr.. Friedlander
stands feet inches in height. He has
passed middle age, and is we'll proper
toned; a giant in strength, with a
massive head and brain worthy of it.
He is a German Israelite, and has fami-
ly. He is amiable and good-looking. His
air is quiet and unpretentious, and he is
popular in the walks of commerce. He
is not sordid, nor is his soul welded to
money; but his giant nature Graves a
big deal and his ambition is to win every
game. Take him for all in all, he is a
man for whom California has reason to
be proud.
We make charitable allowance for
men, otherwise good, who get infected
with the epidemic mania for abusing the
possession of wealth, to Cypress the
poor by monopolizing land, to unworth-
lily and unfeelingly overfatten them
selves, and tester corruption in their
own souls. No sensible man would ac-
cept the final gains of any land monopo-
list in exchange for that peace of mind
and contented life which moderation
alone engenders, and which are denied
to overreachers.
Mr. F. was man of care. Trouble
was pictured in his countenance. As,
with downcast mien, he walked the
busting marts of commerce, envied for
his reputed wealth, wise men exclaimed,
Rather than wealth and such cares,
give me little and give me happiness. :"
If every mans internal care
| Were written on his brow,
How many who our envy share
Would have our pity now?
If financial disaster could bring mo-
nopolists to sober reflection, so that,
when creditors set them up again, they
lower their mad ambition and make hap
piness their aim, rather than hard
ground wealth, their failure will prove
priceless blessing to themselves, and
patriotic concession to the poor mans
right to the spot of Gods earth on which
| to obey the divine command to till the
ground and earn his bread in the sweat
] of his brow. II there be verify in RELIC