Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-10-13

lion which, though not till. recently
bigger than q mans hand, portended
political disturbances. In an address
by me; delivered about four years ago
before a convention Of teachers at st.
Paul, I used this. language: "Until
recently we have been the pioneers,
telling the forests, opening. mines,
building the highways and generally
making the rough places smooth. We
have looked to Europe for arts,
sciences and literature, as we'll as for
the capital to develop our internal
resources. All this is changed Now
not only the mines under our noun.
tains, but
OUR INTELLECTUAL MINES,
have been developed. While Europe
has been our banker, we stand to-day
the second, soon to be the first, nation
in the world in amount Of accumu-
lated capital. One of the most accur-
ate and learned staticians Of the
British empire, after comparing the
balance sheet of the nations, Of the
world for tho decade ending 1886, says:
st would be, impossible to find in
history a parallel to the progress of
the United States in the last ten
years." While these facts, so briefly
hiuted al, must, must be most graft
flying to our national pride and, it is
to be hoped, stimulating to our pat
riotism, yet they bring with them the
responsibilities Of greatness-respon-
sibilities which we cannot postpone
and which it would be criminal to
ignore. While we were mostly but a
community or communities of agri-
culturists; while free, rich lands were
to be had by all at a mere nominal
price, or gratis; while concentrated
capital had not overshadoWed or
choked individual enterprise or the
private enterprises of the poorer or
middle classes; while the Wage-earn.
ing population were few and their
condition temporary, it would have
been difficult to find
A DISCONTINUED GLASS ,
in all the length and breadth of the
land, or one who could with reason
have found fault with its lot or with
the government, Hitherto, there
fore, except by the recent southern
rebellion, our government has been
subjected to but little Strain. We
have not had any class prejudices or
contention. The man who labored
by the day or month or year for his
more peculiarly fortunate neighbor,
could clearly see he might soon be-
come, by the exercise of frugaiity and
industry, a. freeholder, a merchant or
a manufacturer. Such q state Ofthings
was the surest guarantee of ord er and
patriotic devotion to the government.
He who. has acquired property, espe~
cially real property, has given hos
tages to society for his good conduct.
Self.interest, as. we'll as, patriotism,
impels such an one to oppose dis.
order or violent social changes. But
a new order of things has arisen. The
Wage.earning class is becoming much
more numerous and permanent.
With the. vast accumulation of wealth
in: a. few. hands, and 1.-The; immense
power which it giVestoits ~possessors,
and with
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
fit for cultivation nearly all disposed
of or granted to railroad companies,
and held at comparatively high
prices, the difference between, the
poor and the rich. IS becoming more
marked and emphasized" The ,oppor-
tunities to rise from. the grade of en-
ploye to that ofemployer arc Becoming
less, and for reasons which cannot be
touched on in the few moments al
loted to me, the purchasing power Of
money is growing less It is hardly
to. be expected that under these cir
cumstances the less fortunate class,
who by unremitting industry merely
earn their daily bread, and who know
that tomorrow they. may be hardly
able to. earn that, should not feel and
express iscontent when theys see their
| neighbors spending each day what
| would be to them a. fortune. Nor
| will mere education In the sense of in.
formation or knowledge mitigate or
remove such, discomfort. %lOnthe con-
trary, it will prove an aggravation
and be an aid and incentive to organ
| lied Opposition tothe order Of things
| which Il. will be supposed fosters and
! makes possible such great disparity.
I The book says: ttt1tN is eaSier for q
camel to 20 throughthe. eye ofaneedle
than for a rich man to enter the king
! dom of heaven;nc. and It must, be ad'
mitted, as we grow. older, and more
| Observant, we become m0reand more
! inclined to, accept the scripture a
literal truth, rather than 4 fgurative
expression intended merely tpdeclart
that 80
RICHES ARE AN 1MPEDIAENT
on our tourney to the good land. Al
any rate it. is not to be doubted thai
| the influence Of. concentrated and cen
tralized capital Is becomin 9alarmiEg
! In q few years q few meat haNe, grown
rich beyond the dseansofavarice and
to increase their power In almost
+geometric2lratiost Corporations have
tbeen formed aposessinR the wealth
|, ofmanyi ndigidnals and .pEactically
immortal.G What Was dangerous il
the hands of .individuatsE become
many times more @sO~When c0nsoli
dated. 1t i.a0t -exagYe1ata0nE to Say
THAT Less than q score Of individual
could be named in our eOuntfy VIII
by the influence OF their unite(
wealth could paralyze the indIstrie
|Of the country and create such
financial crisis Is would spread dis
aster throughout the land. He i
indeed ahappy optimist who doesn
feel that this is-in some degree
menace to society," Vixen capitalist!
so combine, Il is not to be expected
that laboFing classes aud al 0the
classes dHota8ociate The rapi<