The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-03
A MANS RIGHT TO BE RICH.
MN. HsWIrr sPE<Ks Up FoR TEE sE-
cURITH or PRoPERI1

ts Bi- esd Its Bensat. - nrsrEi-d.
In the meeting room Of the General Society
OF Mechanics and Tradesmen at Is East
Sixteenth street . bronze tablet In honor
Of the founders Of the society was un-
yelled last night II was after reg
ular meeting OF the society. and a large as
emblaRe was gathered. not 80 much to take
part in the meeting or to witness the unveil-
ing, which was very simple and lasted but
few minutes as to hear ex-Mnyor Abram
8. Hewitt, who had been announced as
one Of the speakers. Mr.. Hewitts speech
touched upon some Of the economic questions
OF the day. His views were set forth foreibly
and were vigorously applauded.
Beginning with brief description OF the
funersl OF Jesse SelRman, which he had at
tended In the morning. Mr.. Hewitt said:
It Is safe to say that the assemblags Of
men who came to do honor to the memory OF
Mr.. 6ellgman represented more wealth than
all the accum ulated property OF the city OF
New York In 1885, when this society was
founded. I doubt whether among all the
twenty-five men whose names appear upon
this bronze tablet there was the ability to
raise $1,000 ut that time.
This society has accumulated all that IL
has to-day by what IL called the unearned In
crem emit; very properly called unearned, for
the growth In the value OF its real estate.
which constitutes. I suppose. the foundation
upon which the society now rests. has
been eontemp oraneous with the growth
Of the city OF New York. and II people
were not allowed to get the advantage
which comes to property from growth OF
population l take It that population would go
somewhere else where the operation OF its
growth would be advantageous to the people.
The first principle OF the Constitution OF the
United States In the right OF n man to control
his own actions subject only to his not inter-
ferine with the rights of other men to control
their own actions Now what is the first right
1t 10 to work In any direction TO when ne
may SO. ut to dlrse, his energies, and II he
something. and that somethine is property.
the RICH. TO- property Nov. the RIGHT hit to have
n .O 18th y, am n,o~srs .ns
Of those who are recipients Of wages, But the
right to associate ior the protection O. proper,
those who do not choose to associate them
selves ior thar PURPOSE; Ibis ptinGlpie - Az 40.
tHHtslfs ssPs In the Consultation OF the
During the last twenty years there has
been dispo,iti9,n non on the Part o, public men
yield to clamor In other words, from being
statesmen many men in public lie have he
come depagoguss, and they have GRADUALLY
Shieh was afforded BY, i for the fiehI.
e the conflict commonly called the con.
| Dict between capital and labor. the most
idation ha. become a part Of the public
economy Of TINS country. ana ! mas gradaaily
right for employers to exercise force and yio-
lence By means OF lockouts and other similar
sss oa
compel the. stobpage OF enterprise and what's
who are willing and DESTROYS to work.
Calling names VIII DO NO good; | see no
method Of overcoming the evils which threat
ples Of government IL 10 mainly Tor that rea-
son that have StSuehf re h, SUBJECT 70 the no
which you are now doing In educating
young mechanics ana artisans should DO
class in civics- steps will be taken at the In
stltution WIN Whien ! sm cpnnerteo ooper
siderable scale; I am glad e say that the on
iEn nsaesrea To so5Sepate in this movement,
should be performed on such large
scale as 70 spread TINS instruction thnrongh-
out the length anu Oreadth OF the Iahd.
Il 10 the antidote 10 ommShism: 70 anaIeh,
lsm ana 10 Popu. a,n hnf eh pn nIe sSas 80
checked IN time they Tiii destroy society;
The small fraction winch mas made itsei. SO
ten years must be checked and relegGted 10
lie proper position IN tae social 'S scale. ~ ,hsy
will work let them car. III they Will not work
! let them starve
1t 10 true that some men, not many are
born to fortune; ~ Is true tnat some men
| we'll how TO administer. and II may seem to be
an evil that some OF these great fortunes
should exist. especially wheTe they nave heen
gained by fraud, but u would De an innnlteIy
greater syii ". In order 20 eet rln OF the eN-
ceptional instances which are the suhJect. per-
haps. OF Just crillclsm We We're 20 uhnermlne
the security OF properly. ani thke away from
tie young the incentive whlch success alone
oners TO them Ior ire OF INDUSTRY. OF enter
prize AMI OF honesty; r,,.,.to 49, at.
want to give you an Illustration on this
| particular point, because there is 50 much
| misapprehension In me pntllc mind upon this
subject. DOUBT nnt that !. eAlsts 10 une minus
OF most OF the CONSCIENTIOUS men In thls room.
and myself have often IeIt a sense OF GrleN-
anee which slmost smouh te 70 impatieh nee
other men. But that Is only an indication That
society is doing lts wotk successiully Tor y
these very rich men. the supernuousy rich
| men. did not exist there would be very few