The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-11-01

arcumIIut,d and pcrpctuatsI in few
hands
Vast wealth Of a FSv* Ia miles.
In This oaurt-y We have abolished the
Inv a. rr.rr. .,n.,lre, by win h tue cid
c-tasn .nh,rDd iA, landed e. ggte II E3s
ancestor. tut h.r, VAT c-tat.s hre bs,ug
rartdIv accumulated in few auds and
tAi- f. r-paclaliyfrug during md since tie
war Of the rebellion II 1850 there were
few mitIIoua!rrz and fap large fortunes IN
this country. bat -#rra thcn r. rich cIas3
ha- sprung Gr. -D taai Ia 1890 according
r.l5all. Statistics urr cont Of the poo
p'. own a7 much r....h ~ tie other 50
per o.u' ia i-'r th..a were 1900, ~
fa....I.# .H rar Z n.'.a -tata5 and, accuTd-
.Hy 'y GsD.,. L Holmes, in The PoHt-
lraI -,..... g..sf..ly. Iof7 81 these pos
s.---,. son ur.I- ~ tho wealth. Just
think o. Ir-.u.- family possessing tho
wealth a. a.u., families IN tho country
o.,T, In tine '.g o. >s" York alone there
arc said fy tu Us" Gu'u whose IL1T, gated
wealth exceed. f.Htu.".HuJ. How many
hundred mIlIo-4 are hold by various
wealthy '"rpnlHtfuu- coal ana Oh s5naI-
saira and u'A.r tI4-i..I ann unable To
state IL each OF OBJ. cities OF SOW ORR
and CAI,1vp more than IDr. 900 men and
women willing o. work were out If en-
I.gmpat l4-t winter, many # whom
Inr.-t D.ri-L,dtr from want 81 for char
Ir ,lrd TH..r conditions another wiz
t.r promise, 10 hr D.. better
Nh, richest ,,r..ruttul.- ana r.r-ous On
carfI, ars rr.t.t.... in a.. tnH,d States.
Hoo, L... r... a.umIIa.,a tlr.s vast
fortune. s.nl. ut h.. their own .nau--
try and limit .hur by rhc a.d If statutes
regulating tine rights Of proper y, general
~ strtutrs providing Tor the Transmission
Of property by descent or by Will, or tho
creation OF muh'p"Ii'7.
10 IS only by virtue or statutory law
that man j. permitted - make disposition
OF III property hy VIII, ana II i only by
virtue Of statutory la" that one person Is
permitted - Inherit property from an
other, and 1t Is by virluo Of tthtuie law
that great corporate mDnop"Lca have been
built up.
No man has q natural right 70 dispose
Of property after death, nor has one person
natural right t. inherit property from
another. A. Blackstone says, "Thcrc il
no foundation in nature or in natural law
why the son should have the right to tx
Clude his fellow creatures from dctcrmi-
nate spot Of land b'cauSo his fathcr had
done 50 before him, or why tho oocupicr OF
u particular fI'Id or on II JtWui, Whcn lying
on his dcaihhrd ana no longer able to
maintain possession, should bo able to tell
the rest OF the world which OF them should
enjoy it after him.
'hdcr III'H"I7 I'W5 the owner OF real
estate iSp"rmlitod to lease 1t for an indeh-
nitc period and compel future generations
who occupy tho premises to pay rent to I'M
born generations. Leases for ~ years are
quito common in Chicago. II Is by no
divine law that the occupant Of land today
IL allowed ~ compel It's occupant 100 years
hence to pay trhuto for It's use. Tho
statutes Of Illinois have given to tho own
or OF property the right To dispose Of 1t by
WIZ, not wholly, but to certain extent
ii married, h'IIhor 'ho HHAbahd nor WHO
can HiNo away inc hoiIl'''Chu OF uo"er
IIsnl7 ~ INC ",h'I, h"r can 'reuIIors, holra
or dcViScrs take from tho WIDOW her al
IoWaHco.
Money Governs Legislation.
Tho money power has governed lcg'sla-
ton III all civilized countries for genera
tons. 1t matters not what party IS in
power in the national or state govern
mcnt5 Of our own country, the money
power has exercised II controlling influence
In many instances in the shaping and ad
ministratiun of our laws.
If the accumulation Of vast fortunes
goes on another generation with the same
accelerated rIpidity rs during the present,
tho wealth Of this country will soon be
consolidated in the hands Of "a few corpo-
rationS ana individuals to a7 great an ex-
tent as the landed interests OF treat Brit
am no" arc.
what Is tho remedy for this state OF
things, which, If permitted to continue,
Will make the masses Of the people de-
pendent upon the generosity Of t he few for
the means to live? So far as concerns cor
poratIons Of public or quasi public char
actcr, and non" others should exist, the
remedy Is simple. They arc completely
under the control Of the legislatures
whence they derive all their powers.
1t Is CnuNly competent for Il legislature
to provide the manner in which the bust
ness Of n corporation shall be conducted
1t may provide that the directors shall
consist OF few or many persons; that n por
ton of them shall Do takon from the en-
ployees OF the corporation, selected by
them, another part from the stockholders
who furnish tho capital for carrying on