Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1891-08-18
Think Over These Figures.

Think Over These Figures.
A statistician who has been digging
into the census reports and sitting out
suggestive facts and figures, presents
the following general summary:
Twenty years ago it was estimated
that the producing classes owned three
fourths of the wealth of the nation; to-
day only about one-fOurth of the ma
TONS wealth is in the hands of the pro-
ducing classes, yet the wealth of the ma
ton has been doubled in the same pc
riod. They have lost, in comparison to
the increase of wealth, two-thirds of
their wealth in the last twenty years.
The cause for this can best be found in
a study of few figures. The wealth of
the nation in this period, according to
census reports, has increased at the rate
of about per cent per annum, which
has been added to the wealth by the la
Dor of the producing classes. The av-
erage dividends on capital for the same
period has been per cent per year.
Under our present conditions OF society,
capital and labor are combined in al
most every branch of human industry.
Now it will be seen by a comparison OF
the productive power of labor and the
dividends paid to capital, that capital
has been receiving as wages the full
production Of wealth, and absorbing the
former possessions of the wealth pro-
Queer, the latter class losing 66s per
cent OF their wealth in twenty years,
and the capitalists gaining 66s per cent
The estimated wealth of the nation to-
day is 800. 600, 600, 900, of which 10000
capitalists are said to own 1896. 24O. 00O
63, 600, 900 owning $780, $50, 90; 250, 600 cap
italists are said to own three fourths Of
the nations wealth. If there was an
even 63, 600, 600 inhabitants in the ma
ton, the wealth would be distributed as
follows: Two hundred and fifty thou
sand people represent $500, 900, 00O:
~. 80. 0OO 900 people represent sic, $780,
COO. 0C0 Of wealth
If the producing classes have been
compelled to surrender two-thirds OF
their wealth in the past twenty years to
the capitalists. the outlook is gloomy
enough to justify the gravest apprehen-
siOns. 1t is useless to argue that If
250 0C0 men can lawfully absorb three
fourths of the wealth Of 100000 peo-
pie it is all right, and they must be al
lowed to go ahead and absorb the
other % per cent. The people are not
going to take this view of the situation.
When $4,000, 900 toilers see the pro-
ducts of their labor swallowed up so
rapidly by privileged and protected
few. they very naturally see greater
evils coming in the near future, and
feel that it is time to act on the defeA-
sive. Self-preservation is the first law
of our nature, and before the masses
will give up everything to the classes
they will, if necessary. try some new
departures in legislation and political
economy. We must try the virtues of
tariff reform, a graded income tax, a
larger volume of curt ency. and tinan-
cial system that viii! not be under the
control OF few spectators in Wall
street. 1t is struggle of peculiar in
terest and vital Importance. Startling
theories are in the air-sOme of them
sound and some of them unsound. Out
of clashing ideas and conflicting poll
cies, and out of the focal heat of free
discussion, some reform may come tina
will be for the common good of ALL
Atlanta Constitution.