The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-19
"REsEKyOIKs OF WEALTH"

The Portland OrcgOaida is inclined to
riGicule the assertion that the Increased
wealth of this country is not an increase III
the wealth Of all, but of a few, and declares
the common notion that the wealth of
some is made from tile poverty of others"
false one.
When capital is scanly, the Orfgoni0n writer
says, and when, owing 10 the absence OF machines
ana commerce, the results of labor are extremely
small, slavery in one form OF another Is The IN
eYiiable condition of the masses But wllen
wealth las increased, when great reservoirs OF
capital have been created, then it IS possible for
vast enterprises TO be AIKEN IN band; The degrad'
ing forms Of labor being performed by machinery,
production, and consequently capital, are I'M
mensely Increased, and progress becoming pos
sibIe the condition Of the whole body OF society
is improved.
The writer seems to have read history TO
but little purpose. When this country was
young this republic, founded on a substan-
tial equality of condition OF IFS people, was
financially poor. It's resources were few,
its opportunities apparently limited. There
were no capitalists, no m0neyed kings to
open up vast enterprises and give employ
ment" TO less-fayored felow-citizens. En-
pigment and the various avenues Of in
dustry were opened to all; every man was
about on an equality with his fellows; the
equal labor of all resulted TO the benefit Of
all, and the foundation of this nations pros
perity was thus deeply and strongly laid
during the better part CT The first hundred
years Of the REPUBLICS existence.
Within the past thirty years, however,
with the opening up OF various mOnopol-
iStic possibilities in the course of our COM
mercial growth, the reservoirs of CaptaP
of which The OregOHjaR speaks have come
into istenCe, and since then the wealth Of
the nation has been steadily diverted from
national control 10 these reservoirs with
Fapidity alarming TO contemplate Instead
Of chiefly tending to enhance the welfare Of
the people this accumulated wealth IS con-
cenuating in the hands Of a few, while the
masses from whose use ii is being diverted
are annually becoming poorer.
There are. to-day, in the United States, q
hundred thousand men whose aggregatr d
wealth is greater than the aggregated wealth
cf the s.Xjv-fOur million and odd people
composing the balance of cur population.
The entire bonded debt Of the United States
Is led 10y 7,CO0 persons, and over 60 per
cent OF il IS N the hands Of 23CC0 persons.
Al this has come about in the past thirty
years. during which time tie United States
las become one Cf Tie Wealthiest nations Of
Tie earth. ana at the rate the present pro-
cess Of concentration is going on it viii take
about thirty years longer to accumulate
most Of the wealth Of the nation in the re
servoirs" of the few wealthy persons who
control them.
Nor is the accumulation Of this wealth
away from its rightfu boders-the earners
If fEa ustfrr-tbp only OWL resulting from
this condition The buying power Of this
concentrated wealth IS practically limi'less.
From labor 10 legislation all things seem
within its compass, until the vast machn-
cry of this Government has been made sui
sery lent to its ends.
Possibly Def re .he thirty years Imit-set
for the contamination Of the reservoir
filing process LalJ may be called aud this
stream Of wealth diverted back TO its ma
tural channels. There is but one way left
open for the people to 90 this; they have
but one weapon with which TO wage the war
II tie new revolution. the signs Of which
are in the air. The battle of this people
against monopoly and CORPORATION rule must
be fought at the polls, and it is a serious
question with many Whether the nation
will awaken ia tine TO a realization Of the
fact
The people Of California, at least are
rapidly becoming awake on this subject.
and iI is possible that ere the particular
combination that Just now has our State
and its commerce by the throat shall have
got ready to take open possession Of the
State, and avowed control Of its affairs, the
people may decide 10 turn the tables ana
institute a new order Of things.