New-York tribune., 1896-12-08
W0RLD-WIUE "PLITOCRACY."

A perfectly Well-knOWn Idct' oitcH iEh"'"
and sometimes actually though vainly Denied
WAS restated with admirable lucidity ana CON
ylncing circumstance by Mr.. Ford in one or his
recent London letters to The Tribune That is'
that what is called "plutocracy,' and is ofteh
cited reproachfully against American lnstltu-
tions in general and against the American sys-
tenn of protective tariffs In particular Is py no
means confined 10 this country, but exists III
FrccTradc England probably In as great quan-
tity and in as intense quality as here There Is
no unfrrndliness to England in saying this, any
more than there is To America in Englishmeh
saying that 'plutocracy' prevails here 1t Is
simply the statement Of a fact and a perfectly
obvious fact and if the fact be an unpleasant
or an ominolis one 1t Is 10 the interest OF the
Nation concerned TO have 1t made known and
frankly discussed. BY knowledge and publicity
are such threatened dangers best TO be averted.
Srs,culations. combinations, aggregatons OF
capltal. monopollcs, are just as much the ORDER
Of the day in Great Britain as they ever have
hccn here and the evil results Of which. in evil
hands they arr capable are just as marked
Mr.. Ford gave In his letter some striking cx-
amplcs Of one phase Of the subject. The history
Of our 'Ronanzas" and OF Wall Street contains
nothing that surpasscs the plain tale Of Mr..
.Karney" Barnato and the wild orgy of Rand
speculation of a year ago The land OF the
almighty dollar has produced no more graspihs
Napoleon Of finance than Mr.. IIoolcy who IS
just now leading the speculative cotilion in Lon
don. There have been some deals in the
American bicycle trade. but If any OF them has
nctrcd 81 .S2j,oo0 at one stroke 10 single indi-
vldual the public has yet 10 be Informed OF II.
Nor has Mr. Ford exhausted the lis or exam
pies The dock strike. the miners strike ana
other Industrial disturbances of recent years
have revealed the existence of combinations OF
capitalists In Great Britain AZ least fully as
strong and a. extensive rs any In this country.
or If We would look on hr darkest phase OF the
subject. the name Of Albert Grant. who i by
virtue of his money power technically entitled
10 bc known n Baron" Grant, is not yet for
gotten. lie still lives. So does Jabcz Balfour
still live. And In all the history Of American
"plutocracy" there are no two names that repre-
sent more colossal money grabbing or more of
fensivc and corrupt employment of wealth, In
business in society and In politics. than theirs.
Nor ar, such examples confined Ia two coun.
tries. If 'pluiocracy" be- a power in republican
and Proleciionst America and In royast and
Frce-Trale England It is no less in repub
can France. and in imperial, paternal bureau
cratic Germany. The names OF several German
families are worldwide synonymes of money
power. The name of Panama IS n greater re-
proach To France than that of Credit Mobillcr
ever was 10 the United States. The iron mill,
Of Homestead are no greater an exhibition of
capitalism than those of Essen and of Crcusot.
There is let il he repeated. no unfricndlincss Ia
other nations in recalling these facts; no desire
for rccrmnation. There Is only vindication of
our own land against the unfoundcd charge that
il is the chief of sinners, and demonstration
of the fact that human nature. in money making
as well as in other things. is the same the whole
world over. No matter what Government they
are under men will amass fortunes, and will Use
the power those fortunes give them. 1t is I'M
der Car and Emperor and Queen and President.
II would In under the Commune. II is fact
that makes both for good and for evil and to
increase its good and To diminish lis evil are
tasks To he achieved not by forms of govern
mcnt but rather by the evolution Of humanity.
by the progress of man in true wisdom and by
increasing recognition Of the true of wealth
and the true relationship Of man to man.