The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-10-07
THE INOREAsE OF WEALTH.

The text of the demagogue in every
political crusade in this country is: "The
rich are growing richer and the poor
poorer" 1t has been repeated so often
and so vehemently that the poor are COM
ing to believe it, and it is source of
wide and dangerous discomfort. We've
hear it proclaimed from the pulpit by
men who ought to know better. 1t is
not true. In this country at least the
conditions are favorable to a narrowing
of the chasm between riches and poverty
If there are poor people who find them
selves growing poorer, it is either the re-
suit of individual misfortune or folly.
In two-thirds of the cases the beer sa-
loon is the obstacle in the way. The
country is not responsible for the vices
or extravagances of those who have not
sufficient self-denial to try to better their
condition.
The test of the comparative condition
of the poor is in the changes that have
taken place in wages. If wages are on
the increase, then the poor man, by whom
is generally understood the man who
works for wages, is improving his con-
ditiOn, in other words growing richer.
Now what are the facts? Men still in
middle life remember when domestic
services in the country was well paid at
81 week, and in the city at Sl.50 to 81.
Farm hands received $12 month and
laborers in the towns 81 a day. To-day
the servant in the kitchen gets from So
80 to IS week, averaging not less than
So. The farm hand gets $26 a month,
and during harvest from 81 to SO day.
The government commissioner reports
the price of skilled labor as commanding,
60, E,,., q 4 Il =.
and $3.50 in Chicago. Bricklayers get
$40 week in New York and $24 in Chi
cago; and so on through eighty various
kinds of employment. AS for the cost
of living it has not increased unless the
wage Garner has changed his manner of
living. The bureau of statistics reports
an average decline of ALL in the sixteen
articles of most common consumption in
the home since 1886, Oh in the past TWEEN
ty-six years. This list includes flour.
pork, beef, sugar, butter, cotton and
wooden goods and similar necessities. If
the poor man is growing poorer the cause
must be sought elsewhere than in the
prices paid at market and shop for food
and clothing.
There are undoubtedly individual in
stances among the rich of rapid accu-
mutation of wealth, but this is due to in
dividual energy and genius rather than
to better economic environment The
standard by which all increment of CAPT.
tai is measured in any country is natural
ly the rate of interest at which the gov
eminent can borrow money for its own
use. Money will not seek the treasury
of the nation at lower rate if the oppoT-
tunities for its profitable investment are
multiplying elsewhere. Now, according
to Mr.. Blaine, on the first day of Janu-
airy, 1886, there were outstanding United
States bonds to the amount of g, 739, 491,
741, yielding to the investor the average
interest of 1852 per cent. On the 3lst of
October, 1891, there were outstanding of
such bonds $649, 1851, 1852, producing to
the investor an average interest of 2.25
per cent. If the rich man is growing
richer it is not by becoming a "blOated
bondhOlder." The report of the comp
troller of the currency for 1891 shows
that the savings depositors, reckoned the
poor people, could buy out every bank
and trust company in the United States
and have nearly enough left to extin-
guish the National debt This theory
that the rich are growing richer and the
poor poorer is all in the eye of the bla-
tant demagOgue. The conditions of life
for the poor are improving every day.
Labor is becoming more abundant, wages