The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-21
Matter. of Interest.

Less than half a century ago Qn 1850,
the agricultural wealth of this country
was about Sc per cent. of its whole wealth.
Now. so far as statistics may be relied
upon to present the facts in regard to the
matter. the agricultural wealth is but "a
per cent. of the whole.
In 1850 our agricultural values aggre-
gated s.. 900, 900, and that of the cities
S3,169OO0OOO. In 1890 these values had in
creased to the tremendous sum represent
ed by the following figures:
Agricultural values, SIS $50. 10000 city
values $40 065, 600 600, total of $4,000, OOO
Granting that this is approximately cor
rect, if there were an equal distribution of
il among the people there would be
81 900 or little more for every man, Wo-
man and child in the country. Our nelgh-
Dor across the way, with his nine children,
would vote for such distribution without
conjunction.
In 1880 the aggregate wealth of this
country was such that If divided in like
manner would have given only $2O5 to
each individual
We have grown rich amazingly fast, but
Notwithstanding this, we cannot avoid
periods of depression and hard times,
that come to all peoples ana individuals,
with more or less regularity. Prosperity
does not abide always. There is tide in
the affairs of men," Nations, as well $
individuals, may rue upon the AiShcSl
wave OF prosperity, but as that wave
rises, so it must fall And there is moth
ing that philosophy holds truer than that
we should look well to our ways when
everything seems just right. 1t is easy
enough to practice economy in the time
Of adversely, but there are few who wise
~ practice it during the time of pros
perity. And here is where we have greatly
erred, nearly every one of us, and we must
pay the penalty. Do we not all need to
plead guilty to having violated that great
Toxrr rrya roo r-d n ( a qVy-Tnaf r90lllr9G
the laying up or laying by during the
years of plenty, so that we might have
something when the years Of famine or
scarcity come, as they inevitably do come.
History clearly shows that periods OF
prosperity and adversely have alternated
ever since man began the struggle which
was the price of his existence here.
We have no doubt that if any man or
woman who reads this page should re-
call his or her life and work for the past
ten years. each and every one would see
and recognize that a very great mistake
had been made. Instead of economy, 1t
was extravaganza. Many a dollar-it mat
or a gold dollar or paper dollar-could
easily have been put away "for the rainy
day. 1t was not put in bank
Substantial property. Sadly enough. in
TOO many instances, 1T was expended In
higher living, more snowy equippages,
better Householder than he was quite
yet justified in providing, tours, winter
or summer-diamonds, silks, broadcloths
and so forth. Many things, in fact, that
he or she was not justified in INDUCING
in. life time, a period of three score
and ten, was measured by year or two OF
results or experiences. There are few OF
us but have acted unwisely, very unwise-
~. Yet it is a great pity; our foresights
are not as good as our hindsights. We
can easily see the mistake when 1t is
too late to rectify 1t. Some are too dis
lfeartened to attempt to rectify 1t.
Wealth and poverty are but comparative
terms. What a vast array of wealth IS
indicated by the foregoing figures A piece
of country that 400 years age probably
could have been purchased for few
carloads of corn whisky now reputed to
be worth $4,000 OOO,O 600. So many little
gold ones or so many big silver ones,
Just as you may choose to have 1t.
1t is generally understood that property
when given in for taxation is rated far
below its real value; sometimes not over
90 per cent. of it. Under ordinary circum-
stances it must be accepted as fact
that the above figures are far below the
real worth of the nations property (real
and personaD, but in this instance we
have to allow for a very general re-
duction in actual values, slump, as il
were. If brought to the block the "a
billions of 1890 would dwindle to some
thing about one-half of that sum, would
il not? The descent began some years
ago. The ascent, we trust, has now set
in May it be sure, though it may seem
gradual