Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1883-05-31
CONCENTRATION.
How Wealth and Power Join Hand and
Hand.

Growing Fewer and Poorer---The Wor
Master.
Henry George in Frank Lcsllc's Illustrated New
paper.
In 1890, at the time of the first censu
OF the United States, the cities contain
ed but 3.3 per cent of the whole pOpu
lation. In 1880 the cities containe
22.5 per cent of the population. Thi
tendency of population to concentrat
is one of the marked features of on
time. All over tho civilized world tn
great cities arc growing even taste
than the growth of population. Tn
increase in the population of Englan,
and Scotland during the present cen
tury has been in the cities. In France
where population is nearly stationary
the large cities are year by year becOm
ing larger In Ireland, where popula
ton is steadily declining, Dublin an,
Belfast are steadily growing.
The same great agencics-stcam an,
machincry-that are thus massing pop
uIation in cities are operating even pow
crfully TO concentrate industry an,
trade. This is 10 be seen wherever the
new forces have had play, and in ever,
branch of industry, from such primar,
ones Us agriculture, stock-raising
mining and fishing, up to those create,
by recent invention, such us railroad
ing, tclegraphing, or the lighting by
gas or electricity.
How in all other branches of indus
try the same process is going on, il
is scarcly necessary TO speak. 1t is OBJ
viOus everywhere that the independent
mechanic Is becoming IN operative, the
little stOrckccpcr II salesman in n bic
store, the small merchant clerk Oh
bOOkkeCpcr, and that men, under the
old system Independent, are being
masscd in the employ of great firms OF
corporations. But the effect of this is
earccly realized. A large class of peo.
pie, including many profcssed public
teachers, are constantly talking as
though ali that is necessary in business
success are energy, industry and econ
omy are constantly pointing TO the
fact that men who began with nothing
arc now rich, rs proof that any one can
begin with nothing and get rich.
That most Of our rich men did begin
with nothing Is true. But that the
same success could be as easily won
now is not true. Times of change al
ways afford opportunities for the rise
of individuals, which disappear when
social relations are again adjusted. We
have not only been ovcrrunnnig u new
continent, but the Introduction of steam
and the application Of machinery have
brought about industrial changes such
as the world never before saw.
When William the conqucrorparcccd
OUT England among his followers, 4
fcudaI aristOcracy was created ont of
an army Of alvcntWcrS. But when
society had hardened again, hercdi-
tary nobility had formed into which no
common man could hope to win his
way, and the descendants of William S
adventures looked down upon men of
their fathers class as being formed of
inferior clay, So when new country
is rapidly settling, those who come
while land is cheap and industry and
trade are in process of organization
have opportunities that those who start
from the same plane when land has be-
CONT a'u'pIe 'lu society mas formed
'"lI''"' I'''c'
The rich men of the first generation
in new country are always men who
started with nothing, but the rich men
OF subsequent generations are generally
those who inherited their tart. In the
United States, when we hear of q
wealthy man, we naturally ask, How
ulu no MAKE nus money: Tor the pre-
uill'tlon. oEcr tlie Srcatcr part OF inc
country Is lIa' re acquired IL himself
~ IN hheH'hu lhcy 40 not ordinarily ask
that ITe'tlVh- t''Glc IIc presumption
ID ti'"' hc inhcFlIc" It,
But, though the soil of England was
parceIcd out long ago the great chang
es consequent upon the introduction
OF steam and machinery have there, as
here, opened opportunities to rise from
the rank OF labor to great wealth. Those
opportunities are now closed or closing.
When \ railroad train isslowly moving
of, single step may put one on it.
But IN a few minutes those who have
not taken that step may run themselves
oUI .,., " p,rn'h M III uho hopeless GhueaVor
10 oT't!akc Ilio Iraih' IL IS absurd to
.nllN tlal u Is easy 10 step aboard q
% n, nn ~ bnard @ ,'u .or, WGv"",U i 'io'o WHO
G. ~ !, nh.unJ ~ .Linr' iLa' VI" "o u"sill'
tics omen Whom ~ stnnm ," anJ nT' ~rJt, mrnnhiuo,
were hromning thc;r conrcm,roiin9S
work will remain omen %
A. Tn,.I;et s,;,,r ,,...,,,..,,
Ntat!ia, nn t.ii .sn .s ia,u.,H' Wealthy lc'.re9
oIrVS.U. w" n s,, 'i,.Iul"icI; f h; NV, % once .oIu
tn m ,nnrI. @ 'a ~ xxx, ms .onn ono' ~" ~" nv "uh.
',,,,o :" Ho'M ,,,; -, } 1"tS y. "so hIlPlnS
man, h,1Hu tMino, % wi'cI II 'M'lo mas iiauo en-
mnUa9 ,o9 DS m"nh ,aT,.,I i,o", ~ ,,i' mhIn SounS
iinti li"i!' no W"lhe9 1., " Ni"ncilcster, ana
n"NinS 80 clc.'lV lor UH'G o' IlaN'
i!,i. ii':,'u II inlo IW!nc VIII. anu SoIu It, noW'
D",,ns ,,', up y li''IJ I5 '."uo, no gov otners
, W MolN ioi Il'ui now "hGu machinery
DeSaI 10 W invented anu steam was
lIiII1oucGu' i.I S, Ilc Icok auVah'aSGoi thGm'
S, Hntl. he n1u II piS Factory anu made
tDr'une' t'r rs'lO, Whch ne wllhurow 10 spend
tll,' snc iusI ot ms uNys III e"se' leaving his
ouSlhcSS W HIS SON.
"Supposing you We're Il young man
now, said !, could you walk into
Manchester and do that again?"
"No," replied he; "no ono could. |.
couldn't with fifty thousand pounds in
place of my five shillincs,"
a.,