The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-11
CONCENTRATION
OF .WEALTH.
Written for The Democrat).
BY j. =. W.

downfall OIL naIlOAS' IL 1H1
the perpetuity of our free instltu-
tions, and presages the overthrow OIL
our Republican form of government.
There is one bulwark OF sure de
Tense. establish that upon an i'm
uregnable basis, and the peoples
government is safe from all the
moneyed Shylocks of the world. 1t
is the universal extension Of home
ownership. The safe and permanent
homestead will make patriots. The
homestead surrounds the family with
all the comforts worth living for, and
brings all the sweet influences Of in
dependence.
Moses understood this: "And ye
ehall divide the land by lot for an
inheritance among your families; and
to the more ye shall give the more
Inheritance, aud to the fewer ye shall
give the less Inheritance" This divi'
Zion was made by Joshua. The
Israelitc was not allowed to claim
all he desired, but was to receive an
inheritance under the law according
TO the size of bis family; and that
Inheritance could not be permanent
" aleDated By any act of his, or
any one else, 80 far as | am able to
discover. \ learned writer says:
The Mosaic method Of dividing the
land made extreme poverty and over
grown riches alike Impossible. With
tue denial OF the means Of the lux
ury, it took away all ordinary 10
elements to it in the form of titled
and wealthy aristocracY 1t gave to
every member of the body polite an
interest in the soil, and consequent
ly 10 the maintenance of public
order, and the supremacy of law
which he had no power to part with"
It made the virtue of industry and
tFugality necessary elements in
every mans character. It's tendency
WAS 10 secure 10 all 4 moderate in T.,
dependence, and to prevent those
extrcmee, opulenCe and restitution
which are The reprOach Of our coun-
try to-day, Examples are not want
ed il history outside the Hebrew
nation, TO sustain this position. We
are told that under the system Of
small owneyslips Attica reached the
hight Of Eer prosperity, but when one
nan became the sole proprietor she
sank into poverty and misery. Rome,
as soon as immense bodies of land
fell in to the hand of q few, sank into
poverty; while under Servius, with
vast body of small proprietors uni
yersal prosperity prevailed through
out the empire, Spain too is another
example.
The Moors held the country and it
was divided into small farms and
worked by the owners, enrichiDg
both themselves and their country.
Since those Industrious cultiYators
ofthe soil have been displaced by
the few favored ones, the richest
soil the sun ever shone upon has lost
its glory, and no one can read its
history without bemoaning the
change.
Athens was the centre of wealth
and the most celebrated city OF
Greece, and she attained unto the
highest political greatness and mil
ltary power and great fame for the
learning, eloquence. and politenegs
of It's inhabitants, and for the cuI
tj"atlon Of the arts and sciences. L
was situated in delightful plain o.
Attica, on the Saronic gulf.
Rome, too, could boast of her
greatness. The chief city of Ital,
was long the mistress of the world
Founded about 700 years before
CHRIST. ii at one time covered an area
OF twenty miles in circumference
and contained over two millions O.
inhabitants. The Roman empire, il
should be remembered, about the
year 4. d. 9G. extended into almost
all parts OF the then known world
Where is Rome now? What has
wrought such a great change in he,
condition? The concentration O
wealth and power; the natural re
suit Of sin. When We look at Rome
under Servius, we see o vast body
OF small proprietors, who enrici
themselves and the State by the Gu!
tivation Of their own land. We looi
agaln, and we see universal povert,
ani degradation. Immense tract
Of lands are now in the hands @
single families who have displace.
the numerous small but prosperou
proprictors. Goldsmith bemoanet