The Caucasian., 1895-11-28
THE PERILS OF
PLUTOCRACY.
Congressman Howard Shows The
Schemes and Dangers of Ameri
can Millionairism.
FIFTY MEN ARE IN CONTROL

Busin.ss ef the Country-Mr. Howard
WIN Oner Bin to Impeach Grover
CIevsiand-No Mercy From Our Masters
The New York Herald recently
surprised the country by giving q
review of a strong book written by
Congressman Howard, of Alabama.
The title of the book is The Ameri-
can Plutocracy." In the review of
the author and the book, the Herald
says:
Mr.. Howard was born at Rome,
Ga, on December Is, 1862. He be.
gan the study of law at an early age
and began to pratice at Fort Payne,
Ala, when only nineteen years old.
He was appointed prosecuting at
torney and held this position for
four years. He was also city attor-
ney for two years. He has held the
position of chairman of the county
Democratic executive committee for
SIX years. In the election of 1894
he was elected to Congress from the
seventh Alabama district by over
5000 majority.
He Is a striking looking man, be-
ing we'll over six feet in height. His
face is beardless and boyish looking
aud unless serious In thought Is al
ways beaming with good nature.
His manners have not the grace of a
courtler, but he looks the very ideal
OF good health and rugged honesty
and his fine physique. combined
with his natural intelligence, have
made him leader of men.
His American Plutocracy" is di-
vided into twenty-six chapters, and
the book is dedicated:
70 the toiliug millions of America 90 all
who love freedom, 20 all who oppose plu-
tocracy, 10 all who favor a government OF
the people, for the people, and by the peo-
pie.
Ia IA short preface, the author
says; The rapid concentration of
wealth in the hands of few is the
most alarming sign of the times,
and, unless speedily checked, por-
tends the decay of our national
greatness. The danger is so immi-
uent that thinking men everywhere
are alarmed, and it is with II desire
to arouse the people and let them
see whittier they are drifting that
have written these pag -. l have
an uuwavering faith IN the honesty
and patriotism of the masses, and
believe that when the critical mo-
meut arrives they will exhibit the
spirit OF our ancestors when they de-
clared that "all men are and OF
right ought to be free and equal"
THE RISE OF PLUToCRACY.
In chapter |. the writer thus apos-
tropulze, the memory of Lincoln:
All. noble patriot Americas great com
moner, dlylueiy appointed and divlnely in
spirpd, to-day We are living in the epoch
which thy prophetic soul foreSaw. We are
entering the SOmher shadows of doom anc
impending dissolution which thou dds
predict would hover over the nation, anC
unless God speedily raises up from the rank:
of the common people leader with Thy
Greatness of intellect, thy goodness of hear
and grandeur of soul the people from
whose ranks thou didst spring, and whom
thou didst love, even in thy years of glory
will be in u bondage far more oppressive
more CALLING and cruel than were the poo
black men for whom thy great heart dl'
bleed.
The author declares that amid the
sectional hatred and disputes which
followed the close of the civil war
patriotism slumbered and slep
while politicians, not statesmen
kept watch and ward"
The money power now cam'
upon the scene and peeped cautious
ly around at first. but seeing that tn,
people no longer were zealousl.
guarding their liberties. seeing tha
crafty politicians were steering th
ship OF state and that the peopl
were bhudly following their leaders
who continually famed the flame
ot sectional bitterness. 1T becam
bold and threw off its timid. fawninj
air aud assumed a most lnsolen
Swagger 1t began to stretch out 1t
long arms in all directions an,
grasp with its greedy fingers tn
products OF the peoples toll, yet tn
people. bliudlv deluded, needed not
',ut went on shutting their eyes an
closing their ears to the perlls NhlcI
surrounded them. So II became a
easy matter for plutocracv I
strengthen its toothold and soon
began to fasten the shaekles of sls
very upon the people.
The masses have grown poore
each year, while plutocracy ha
grown richer. To-day there are i
the city of New York l,l5l indivic
Uals and Estates worth a million do
lars each. There are 10 Brookly
l62 individuals and estates eac
worth AT least one million dollar
John ID. Rockefeller is worth on
hundred and twenty-five millions
William Waldorf Astor, one hui
dred and twenty millions; ia
Gould's estate, one hundred million
Russell Sage, ninety millions; Co
uelius Vanderbilt. eighty million
and so on down the list. 1t is est
mated that there are now In tn
country about three thousand eigl
hundred milionaires.
Let II be remembered that whel
one OF these men accumulates b
ten, twenty or hundred mllllo
dollars, he does so, not by his ow
labor in producing the wealth, bl
by some legalized method of 70
berry, by which he steals what othe
have earned. Thirty thousand me-
or fewer, own one-halt of the veal,
of this country, and two huudre
and fifty thousand men. out of
population of almost seventy M
lions, own eighty per cent. of OF
total wealth. Half our populaIit
are all the time employed workir
for thirty thousand of their fello
.uen. who are no better than ther
selves.
This organized band of plutocra
mas managed 10 control legislati'
and TO get possession of every avenl
of commerce aud trade and crush 4
life out of all competition and opp
sition, and now plutocracy reig
supreme, and instead of fawning t
tavors, as was Its wont IN Its embr
days, it now forces all the world