Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-14
the SIGNS OF THE TIMES

When we gave from the Cincinnati En-
quirey, in the APPEAL of Wednesday, the
startling expressions as to fears of coming
trouble in the United States, between the
working class and the spectators, we said
that there are many who share in the appre-
tensions expressed in that article, though
few liked to give utterance to their thoughts.
A proof of how widely spread those appre-
tensions are was demonstrated on the arrival
OF the last issue of the Salt Lake Tribune, an
able, bold, and outspoken journal of very
independent opinions. That paper says:
"If antagonistic elements are not already
drawing together, which, when they meet,
will make an explosion which will
shake this country and its institutions
to their very base, there is nothing
in the signs of the times." This expecta-
ton of future collision the Tribune POUNDS
on the fact that, in older lands the rise OF
colossal fortunes has been gradual, while the
poor we're ignorant and content with mere
Irving. Here immense fortunes have been
built up suddenly, without the experience
and dignity which accompany slow accumula-
ton. The result is reckless display and that
want of sympathy with the lower class which
breeds hate, a hate that "by and by, will take
fire." In law suit between the rich and
the poor, the expectation is that the rich will
succeed; when great corporations oppose the
interests of the people they invariably sue
coed in the face of popular Reproduction;
great railroads discriminate and extort toll
from millions of citizens, Jet bill to pre-
vent extortion cannot be got through Con-
gress; State laws forbid the collection of
more than six or eight per cent. by one who
lends money, but railroad company can
cell bonds for double the amount of the cost
of the road; "water" its stock, then charges
such rates and freights as will pay heavy
interest on the whole swindle. yet there is
no law to restrain them. The swidlers
become rich, build grand houses, set
up fine equipages, become leaders of
fashion, and are shocked at the insolence OF
servants, and are disguised at the manners
and economies of the working people. Not
what men are. but what they hare secures
and respect; intellect, schol-
arship, worth, honesty, all go for nothing.
From all this our contemporary concludes:
intellectually and morally the people at
large are quite the peers OF these arrogant
men who assume to be masters, and they
know it. By and by there will be trouble
from this; it will come surely, because, as
these rolling snow-bslls of money draw to
them all the wealth of the country, the
masses will not stand il; there will be a col
ision." We thus find papers widely apart
expressing precisely the same
convictions on identical grounds. The CO.
Incidence is striking as the expressions
IF apprehension are startling. Are
here no means by which the unhappy |
catastrophe so confidently looked fol. can be |
sverted? There are. They lie in the ma
ional power regulating the distribution of
wealth, so as to check the tendency toward |
the rich growing richer and the poor |
poorer" and fayoring the diffusion OF wealth |
Is opposed to its accumulation and transmits
ion. This Is to be done by the power that |
low forbids man entailing his property to
,e 90 extended as to compel him, in making
lis will, to distribute it to at least two or
hree or more persons, in proportion to
ts amount, and 80 securing the people from
dominant rich class, as they are at present
ecured from a dominant class of mobiles and
rulers.