The herald., 1896-02-16
Albany, Mo.
The Concentration OF Wealth

EDITOR HERALD--A dear lady whose hu5-
band enjoys the good fortune of a perma-
nent position and Il good salary, and who
is a great admrer of the Los Angel
Times, because the views it advo ates in
regard to labor and capital coincide ex
actly with her own, had the kind impulse
to send the writer clipping from the
above named paper. The writer was of
course in duty bound to read it, and her
thoughts resul ting from it. were: Well,
this is another epistle which will greatly
tend to endear the Los Angeles Times to
the hearts OF the working people. The in
telligent working people have engaged in
little thinking and Investigating. But
the Times finds fault with them for SO do
ing. 1t says that they look upon the rich
man with jealous eyes, and regard him as
an enemy whose business it is to oppresss
them and rob them of whatever good
there is in life. The Times has discovered
in the colored race fitting example for
the white race to emulate, it is individual
incompetency and lack of persistent and
wise endeavor which makes the white men
failures, whereas, if they would consider
the achievements of their colored brothers
they might discover the force by which
they triumphed with all the odds of life
against them. The intelligent working
man understands that something is radi-
cally wrong when he takes glimpse al
the United States census report, which
shows how wealth is centralizing from the
producers to the non-producers. The
wealth of the nation netted in 1850, Ss.-
O,000,00O. The workers shared 621@
per cent. Nou-producers shared ST. per
cent. In 1890 the wealth of the nation
was SCI 200. 900, 900. The workers shared
II the non-producers S3 per cent. But
all nonsense; the Times knows much
better. If the white men were as
wise as are their colored brethren
they would be equally as prosperous.
Ii they were as competent, they would not
need to resort to the soup houses to keep
from starving. The big city of Chicago is
certainly in need of the prudent suggestions
of the l. % Angeles Times. 1t might save
it two million and a half annually spent in
feeding and clothing the mass of incompe-
tents. The colored race is held up as a
model to the white race. 1t elicits much
admiration from the Los Angeles Times.
race which has, since it was transformed
from the irresponsible slave to the sover-
eiSn citizen, shown an extraordinary ability
to accumulate taxable property reaching
the grand total of Sl36, ,S4S.S7S. But, in
advertently, perhaps, the Times does not
present the statement in full. and that is.
that in about the same number of years,
through ways no. always honest and fair,
through corporations known as possessing
no souls, through cold, heartles5 combines,
and gigantic and unfeeling monopolies.
one-half of the wealth of the nation, "if
statistics are correct" has been central
IL ed into the absolute control of about So
900 individuals! 1t is this abnormal situ-
alton, and the warning example of the ter
rible fate which befell Rome. Greece and
other nations, it is the visible signs of ap-
preaching danger, and not the labor leader,
who strs up feeling OF discomfort and
alarm, which no lover of his kind and
country should treat lightly. Unless stayed
the same causes must inevitably produce
the same effects.
MATILDE Y. BERRA.