Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-04-22

PIE are so mistaken about the effect of
his coming that they have drawn '1urid
pictures of his tyranny" but such pict-
ures, Mr.. Shearman thinks, ''have no
basis in fact or in common sense Mr..
Shearman is of the opinion that 'the
possession of such vast wealth brings a
large degree of caution, and even timid-
ity, to its owner;;" and this view he
seeks to support by saying that ''at the
present time nineteen-twentieths of
those who are worth more than ten mil
lions keep out of active public life, and
three-fourths of them are anxious to
avoid even the suspicion of politial in
huence."
Here we have the declaration that
men worth from SO, 600, 900 to 500, ,00O,-
600 are made cautious, and even timid, -
by their wealth; but men worth from
$500, to S5, 000,00 do not hesitate to
exert their political influence, or the in
fiuence of the almighty dollar with
ostentation, and the opinion is expressed
that those of still greater fortunes are
coming to the front" in political affairs.
1t would have been well if Mr. Shear
man had named few of the men worth
from SO, 900, 900 to $500, 600, 600 who are
so exceedingly prudent and. faint
hearted as to take no interest in public
affairs, and are anxious to let it be
known that they are without 'spo-
litical influence" True, such men
may not be candidates for Office.
they may exercise great caution
in declaring their partisan predilec-
tions, but all this caution and timiditw
vanishes the instant any interest they
represent is in peril Then they are no
longer cautious about their declara-
tlonS; they are at once transformed:
they are daring to rashness and bold to
audacity. Then their money, in a
steady stream, goes to support lobbies,
to influence Legislators and courts. and
the influence of 1.-The almighty dollar
is usually sufficient to carry the day.
1t is then that the millionaires ever
lastingly upset Mr.. Sherman's declara-
ton that they are timid, and that they
seek no political influence. They are
worshipers of ''the almighty dollar"
and they eternally stand guard around
the temple of their god
MIR. Shearman says: 1.-The lurid pict-
ures of the tyranny and cruelty of the
millionaire have no basis in fact or COM
mon sense" That depends entirely up
on what Mr.. Shearman and others of
his ilk may call tyranny and cruelty.
The millionaire does not burn the OBJ
jects of his vengeance alive, apply
thumb screws or break their bones upon
the wheel Such forms of cruelty and
tyranny are not tolerated in the United
States just now. But the millionaire
Vanderbilts, under the laws of the en-
pire state of New York, did employ
P1nkerton thugs to murder working
men, an instance of tyranny and cruel
ty" paralleled only in lands where a
czar, sultan or shah assumes the
right to murder their subjects when it
suits their whim.
Mr.. Shearman is of the opinion that
the coming millionaire will bring. an
army of paupers in his train" But
this Is not all. ''The masses, under a
system which gives to one man larger
amount of wealth than can ever be at
tanned by million of his fellow-citi-
zens who are fully his equals in skill
and merit, and far his superiors in In
dustry," is to breed discomfort which
will forever increase. +
What of such picture? A train of
''paupers" and universal discomfort
among the masses How much further
Is 1t to scenes>which the French revolu-
ton presented, and which live in crimson
vtvidness? THE effect of such concen-
tration OF wealth upon public and private
morals" says Mr.. Shearnan, ssmay
well be anticipated with concern. AL
ready the wealthy classes he says,
'are hard pressed by the temptations of
idleness, the parent of all mischief.
Gambling has increased enormously,
especially around New York, and lin
tied license for it, previously bought
from local officials, has now been pur-
chased from the legislature" Here we
have 1t that the state of New York is
under the sway of million
aires, and the debauchery has pro-
ceeded until the legislature of the state
licenses gambling that the millionaire
class may overcome some of the ''temp-
tations of idleness."
Say what we will, ''the almighty dol
Lar" is on top, and the Millionaire is
coming not only with paupers
In his train" but coming with influences
fruitful of discomfort of the masses.
coming with influences (which will cor
rupt muititudes less favored by for
-
This picture is drawn by Thomas G.
a close student of events, and
a man careful of statements. Men talk
OF the conflict between capital and la
Dor, or between labor and capitalists, as
If labor, disregarding all laws, human
and divine, was rushing headlong to
destruction: but Mr.. Shearman sees in
the growth of wealth in the hands of
the few the direst calamities to the na.
ton, and sees clearly the inevitable
of such a state of things.
The worship of ''the almighty dollar"
Will proceed, and devotees of the god
Will increase. Aristocracy, plutocracy
and autocracy will com bine their forces
against democracy It will be money
against the masses
AS matters now stand. 1850, 900 per-
sons have possession of SAG, 800, ,0O0, 900
of the nations wealth, and 81, 75O, 900
persons have possession of SIS, 500, 0OO,-
900. The plutocrats have an average of
S37, 800, and the democrats an average
of S251.
If the masses will it, a. fairer divide
can be secured. If they submit to
present arrangements the Millionaire
will come, and the little share of the
national wealth they now possess will
disappear, and then they will have sur
rendered their rights and will live by
permission. - Locomotive Firemen's
Magazine.
Great National Party.
There are, certainly, strong indica-
tions that such a party will, ere long,
be formed. The farmers uprising is
Eiunif1caut and y,ointe fh;o rx,o- IN