Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-05-16
New For America.

that this is great land for new things
but those are mostly new TO the whole
world for patents are not issued on things
that have been long in use. And new
things like the telegraph aud telephone
are good finds both for the Morses and
Bells and the users of the results OF their
brain WORK.
But men and their methods OF general
life cannot be patented and certain OF
these have become so notable that i. is
going 10 be something OF a study in
America hereafter to deal with them.
For thousand years in Europe it has
been common for men OF great power TO
lay foundations OF wealth. build upon
those foundations themselves, and leave a.
their deaths means for their descend snts
to build still higher.
Thus in Great Britain some of the noble
increased their landed possession. and
other wealth till their yearly income is
recko ned by millions instead OF thousands
OF dollars or would be if they used Amer,
ian coin or currency. These acquisitions
have been made in most cases lawfully
and now by the laws these people own
their immense properties By right vested
with all the sanctions OF law.
But it is equally true tha. in the great
majority Of cases of this kind the holding
of these immense estates is an injury to
the country at large. Wealth accumula:e>
AID men decay-not necessarily, though
often. The men who have he wealth, bu,
the great body OF the people who have
too little room because Others have too
much. The evil OF enormous accumula
ton in eastern countries is seen particl.
larry in real estate ownership-for there
is little land and that has gone in.o the
hands OF The few while he many have
none and no chance to get any.
There are instances OF grea. wealth
outside OF landed estate. The epormou.
wealth OF the house OF Rothschild is an
illustration. Tha. family has ia a little
over hundred years made the name OF
Rmhschild as applicable to a personldca.
ton Of wealth as was that of Midas of old
The Rothschilds have now great landed
estates but they accumulated money
instead of land in their progress toward
wealth.
III
HE landed estates Of ireland ara the
great stumbling block in the wav Of ner.
manent reform there. Their owners have
as much lawful right to them as the peas.
ant has to his one hog or his las. and
only bushel OF potatoes. Ba. the preser.
walton OF what are at presen, the lawf,,
rights OF the land owners will render
ireland an impossible babi.a,ion for a
prosperous people.
Till within few years America has
known nothing of The colossal fortunes
We had millionaires-bu. there were few
OF them and most of them who bore tho
name were not in reality worth a million
dollars. But there are a good many
fortunes in America to day that are reck
oned by dozens or scores of millions.
A notable instance OF this kind is tina,
OF Jay Gould who thirty years ago wa, a
stirring Young man who occupied himsel,
With working in the getting up Of =
county gazetteer, or directory and history
combined. We never heard tina. his work
was not well done for he is man Of
oorrec. aud industrious habits and hi.
career in later years has impressed folks
with an idea thai be has some considerable
ability.
In snort he has gathered fortune OF a
hundred million dollars and now retire.
from active business. and proposes to lie,
bis boy Operate N his stead while h.
taxes TRIP in bis $3.50 900 yacht. A5oar
the same time W. II. v,nderbi,t retires
from active railro I'd management. and
will try to live on his fortune OF abou.
the same sze as ,ulis.
Mr.. Gould's little trades are illustrated
By his story OF how be came to own the
New York Hor'd." the newspaper h.
has Just sold for s35o00 to Joseph Pul.
izer OF S.. Louis. Mr.. Gould SAYS be
WIS in Europe four or FIVE years ago and
there met Tom Scott who was breaking
down mentally and Otherwise and Scot,
wanted he should take his Texas Pacific
railroad of his hands and Gould consent.
ed but Scott insisted the trade should
include the World" so Gould took the
newsp sper though be didn'. want it and
never meddled with its management.
Tbs Goalds and vande, bits can ns.ify
their great holdings if thev make use OF
them to the public good. But if they take \
turn the other way generation or two
later will see the time when their great for.
tunes grown greater viii crowd GU. into
room that it is Deedfal for the general 90,
others should have and when the Unite,
States will he puzzled to reconcile wei
recogu ed rights of property and the pub
lie good Bl. before this gets 10 be a very
troublesome question we are likely to get
some presidents from countries where The
solution of this question is more imminent
Meantime Mr.. Vanderbilt and Mr.. Gould
may surprise their couptrymen BY show.
ing them that the millions they have
could not be in better hands.
Ex Senator Conkling has been making