Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-13
Can A NAN EARN A MILLION?
An Interesting Discussion of Great
Social Problem.
IT Adam Had Dcived Until This Time
He wouldn't Take Rank With
the Piutocrats of the
United States.
How Millions Are Made.


History shows that men have started
poor in free America, the home of the
oppressed, and at the age of 40 years
been able to enumerate their wealth not
only by the million, but by many times
million. These men have, no doubt le
gally accumulated their enormous
wealth so far as legality is conferred by
the laws of our country, but not
honestly.
The Louisiana lottery scheme has been
declared illegal by the laws of most of
the other States; yet, by a careful study
of the workings of this scheme, we only
find the true methods by which men are
suddenly thrust into possession of fabu-
lous riches, viz: speculation. If ten
boys, with ten marbles each, go out to
play that most innocent of boyhood's
games, and one boy, by either his
skill or good fortune, secures the 10
marbles from each of the other nine, he
has 100 marbles. and the others have
none. Are not the nine robbed that the
one may have their possessionsI In the
same manner as the wealth of one in
creases that of a proportionate number
it is gained. whether bv specul alton nj
bonds, mortgages, lands or stocks;
wether by interest, gambling, bets or
lotteries, it is the same. The condition
is not changed, the method is altered.
Should a million dollars be Inherited, it
does not obliterate the fact that mil
lion dollars cannot be honestly made in
one generation, nor ten, even though
each generation extend over period of
100 years.
Could Adam have lived until the pres
ent day, and earned two dollars per day
for every day in the year, never spend
ing a cent for anything, his total earn
ings would not have amounted to as
much as the wealth of Warner Miller,
New York's Republican candidate for
Governor last fall, whose wealth is esti-
mated at S. 600, 600, and whose age does
not much exceed half century. And
yet, according to the laws of the State
of New York, and the United States,
Warner Miller has legally acquired his
wealth, and, as the world goes, is an
honest man.
Fifty years ago there were but few
millionaires in this country. To-day
they are so common that in enumer-
alton of the wealthy men of our lana
only Juc uuleS vi ulOSG WOTJn from uVe
to one hundred and ten millions were
considered worthy of mention.
How many long years OF hard unceas-
ing toll, even at good wages; how many
deprivations, how many heartaches to
obtain honestly the possession of a mill
ion dollars, few can realize, and no
toiler Will ever know, for time is too
short for him ever to reach the goal.
Most workingmen and women have no
TO ertv thn tfnn IN ,nbf
consequently do not comprehend the
enormity OF a million i'll round numbers.
To illustrate: Could man have been
born in the year one, and at the present
timo have reached the good old age of
1889 years, and have been able to have
labored untIringly and increasingly
during the long period Of his existence,
not stopping on Sunday, Christmas,
New Years, Washington's Birthday,
ST. Patrick's, Decoration, Fourth of
July, Labor or oven circus days, toiling
on, and on. like a mere machine, fur
nishing his own fabrication, 1865 days in
year, for 1889 years, receiving rs n
compensation for his labor the most
liberal sum of So per day, or $3.50 per
year, and provided he had remained II
bachelor all his life, never paying outa
cent for strawberries or ice cream for
his girl, or a cent for the support of
himself or family; suppose so great had
been his economy, that his only cloth
ing had been the fig leaf of the Garden
of Eden, his only shelter the blue vault
. OF heaven, his only bed the green ver-
dure of mother earth; suppose he had
never spent cent for marbles, jack
knives or gingerbread in his boyhood;
for railroad stocks, church pews or lager
beer in his manhood; or. for fast horses,
steam yachts or Pullman palace cars in
his old age; supposing he had to his
credit every cent he had ever earned,
without interest, he would then have
the stupendous sum OF 81 ,37S, $40, which
in these times would hardly furnish
him seat in the New York Stock Ex-
change.
II it has been clearly shown that q
man living 1889 years, with all the ad-
vantages enumerated. can acquire but
6l,37S.970, is it to be wondered at that
the average man, whose allotted life
time is but seventy years, cannot
honestly become millionaire?
Suppose the man of our own time be-
gins work at the age of IA years as II
wage-earner at 81 per day receiving no
pay for Sunday work, he would receive
S3l3 per year. Surprising at the age OF
20 years he was enabled rs railway To-
comotive engineer to earn $3.50 per day,
every day, for the balance of his 70
years. lifetime, he would have earned at
the. time oil his promOtlon Solo per year
for six years, which would aggregate u
sum of 81 1878; during the next 90 years
he would earn $63,S75, which, added to
the 81 1878 previously earned, would at
the age of 20 years place HIM in possess
ion of $65, 1853. This sum would purchase
n seat in Congress, or enable him to
: make trip around the world II he was
economical. He would in country places,
be considered well-to-do; but not rich, as
the world now goes. This sum is all n
man can honestly earn in lifetime
uuder the most favorable conditions, and
still he has not acquired the tenth part
OF single million. But here is another
realistic problem to solve, which cannot
be overlooked and which still further re-
duces his chances OF becoming worth n
million. At the moment he begins TO
earn his own living he becomes depend
ent upon his own resources. We have
seen that his yearly earnings for the
first six years are 1918 per year; out OF
this he must pay:
For pairs of shoes TX of l.. labeD s 0G
For suit OF clothes Sunday ......... Is 0C
For suit of clothes (workday) ......... Ol
For hats (k. of l.. laDel .......... 0l
For underwear and other necessities. IL 0l