The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-11-03
DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
Wednesday, Nov. 8. 1880.


It is stock remark. says T VI Can. 10
Hsrper's Mag 'Eiae for November. that
Americans love the doliSr. The say
ing. like most stock sayings, miDses the
point; the real point il, n5t that Amer
leans love money more than other poo
pie, but that they love comparatively
few things besides money. We have
fewer objects Of serious pursuit than
other Western nations have; we do not
as q people pursue the fine arts, or lit
eratnre, or scholarship. or society. With
the zeal or the fruitfulness that we fnd
10 European communities. 90 We are re-
gsrded rs being still somewhat def
eent in COR duties as civilized nation
We love those things less thau tbs Old
World communities leve them. We do
ot.love uaosey more than they--psDb-
ably, indeed. not so much IS they. It is
the exclusiveness, not the zeal, OF our
pursuit Of money that Il The thing to be
regretted. Some day. perhaps. NC shall
try 10 do better than this; meanwhile,
most of us pursue the dollar. without
thinking Of stopping much fer rest
until we take rest whore no work Is. No
o)muanntty thinks 30 little about rest
from work as ours.
We seek money, and We find il; yet
do we love IL either well or intelligent
ly enough to use it fruitfuliy. 10 keep it
safely, or to bsqueath it wisely First,
let us glance 1t the wealth we possess
as q nation. Let US SEQ what place Q
century Of money making has given rs.
We call ourselves rich people; hov
rich are we? A very little comparison
of figures, viii show. And frat. where
do we stand as TO the total valuation OF
the national wealth?
weatand near the hcAd Ct the list
third 90 ths list az Gil the Western nf.-
tions. The United Kingdom OF Great
Britain and ireland heads the list with
capital valuation Of ga, 400, 900; then
como France With $38. 10o. 600; the Uni-
ted STATES with So. 000. 600; Germany
with $22 .o00, Q00; Russia with SIS 600.
ard the Low Countries with 81. lj0,-
GOO Of capital collectively. These are
the valuations made in those countries
of their entire resources. What is the
average annual income per inhsbitant
in various countries ? We come to the
front In this comparison. The average
annual income in tho United Kingdom
is $l65; in the United States. Si65 also;
in the Low Countries. $130; in France.
1925; in the British Colo0ies, $50; in
Germany. and also in Scandinavia. $s5.
In this reckoning. Russia. with her 80
millions Of people, is out Of sight as yet;
she will not be very long.
Once more, taking the question from
another point OF view. let us ask: What
is our annual accumulation Of wealth
as compared with the annual accumu-
lation OF other natiopsi And here we
step far in advance OF any community
which gives as full estimates; il should
be Borne in mind, however, that the
rate o. interest for agricultural capital.
with us. Is double the average rate for
Europe.
The annual accumulation of wealth,
then, in Germany. is S200. 000, 200; it is
1926, DOC. 600 in the United Kingdom;
1918, 10000 in France; IN the United
States it Is $685. 900. 000l Our increase
Of national wealth since 1850, says .
good English authority, would be
enough to purchase "the whole German
Empire. with its farms. cities, hanks.
shipping. manufactures. etc. The an
nual accumulation has been 1925. 0O0,-
600. and therefore each decade adds
more 10 the wealth OF the United States
than the capitol value Of Italy or Spain.
Every day that the sun rises upon the
American people it sees an addition OF
$4,000. 600 to the wealth Of the repab.
lic." Is
These are figures to make poor man
expect wealth; but let us hasten to say
that they do not prove. US any happier,
or wiser, or mare catimable in the
sight Of the world. than many an other
poorer nation is. What these figures
do prove Is jiferent thing; they prove
the bounty OF nature toward an ener-
getic race: they do not prove what We
sometimes take for granted on the
strength Of them. that our nation Is
great or admirable in tho greatest and
most admirable things. No; We have
been busted with necessary things; In
great aud admirable things our record
is still. for the most part. TO DO made.