The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-07
SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
American Prosperity From a SIM
gle.Tax Standpoint.
Unequal Distribution Of the Country's Wealth.
Poorly Paid Laborers Making For
tunes for Wall Street.

Under the auspices of the Single Tax So
ciety of San Francisco, Ralph Z. Hoyt of
Los Angeles last night delivered lecture
Social Problems" at the rooms of the
Young Mems Christian Association. He
was frequently interrupted in his remarks
by applause from a large and attentive
audience.
In the course Of long and minute exam
nation of the present social system and the
widespread evils resulting thereirom, the
speaker said that if this nation is to live
there must be reforms in the economic sys-
TEN, else one or the other must perish. We
ought to be the most prosperous and con-
tented people under the shining sun. Per-
haps we are.
TWO SIDES TO THE PICTURE.
To many it at least appears so. But I'M
fortunately there are two sides to this
picture, bright and dark side. Where
Is this prosperity of which we hear so
much?
Thirty-one thousand individuals own
tlree-flths of all the wealth in America.
Twenty one foregn noblemen own L, 0OO. 900
acres of land in this country, and have
bonded 2O,Oo0,00o more. These people are
prosperous.
Gould, Huntington, Astor and Vanderbilt
are also prosperous, and in view of all this
prosperity, directly productive of happiness
Tor the masses, as we are told, the people
are quite willing 10 "Hurrah' for the flag
an0 ask new appropriations.
1t is evident that the masses do not par
tclpate III this class prosperity, and also
that those who monopoiize the wealth,
which under different system would be
more generally diffuSed, do not intend that
any change shall be made.
A BAD SHOWING.
In, tho S.ata If Kan-oS aloDa Al 900 farms
are carrying mortgages. and the other mid
die States are not much better off. In Maine
farms are being deserted by the hundreds. SO
1t must be Clear that the tillers of the soil
are not in the best possible condition.
The average profit on business invest
mentS Is ~ per cent, so the business man is
not half as prosperous as we are made to be-
lieye. Where is the prosperity, then? In
bational banking institutions that borrow
money OF the Government for nothing and
loan 1t 10 the poor man at high rate of in
terest; in railroads where great combina-
tons are formed to raise and maintain a
hgb-rate schedule; in observation-disclosures
farming in Dakota, where Wal!-street ope-
raioTS plant crops from their 1uXuriant Of
fees through half-fed and poUrly paid slaves
and reap the rich results. Here. and here
alone can this boosted prosperity be found
THE REMEDY.
There must be a remedy, path from this
dismal forest of injustice, where grow the
noxious weeds of discomfort and anarchy.
What is the remedy? Where is the path
that leads to better conditions? 1t is in the
elective franchise. The American citizen,
with cool head. honest heart and a ballot
in his hand can right every wrong, force
monopoly to give up her ilLgotteu gains,
drive injustice and oppression from the land
and leave for the next generation what this
ard the one preceding it should have en-
joyed-a right to make an honest living.
At the conclusion of the lecture Mr. Hoyt
read, by request an original poem, entitled
The Man in tie Moon" satire on the
present social system.