The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-06-08
rzz MAKING OF AMILLIoNAIRE
What it Costs Other People to Make
One.

What it Costs Other People to Make
One.
Much has been said about the mil,
lionaire, both in praise and blame, and
vet who knows what goes to the max
ing of q millionaire9 In q vague, neD-
ulous way people think OF him as q
man who has accumulated q vast for
tune, and who is to envied because
of his advantage and the privileges and
pleasures his money will buy; and
there they stop. My purpose is to lead
them on a point of view where they
can see, and plainly, too, what it costs
other people make a single millionaire.
Let US proceed by easy steps. Most
people know that the national census
shows that the average wealth per
capita of the whole country is just
about one thousand dollars; that is to
say, if all the wealth Of the country
was equally divided 80 that each per-
son would have an equal share, that
share would be one thousand dollars.
But that division never takes place.
The fact that an equal division would
give each one q thousand dollars is here
used merely as q natural basis for the
explanation of the process by which
our millionaires are evolved.
Our next step is to separate a small
community from the great mass OF
seventy millions Of people, for the pur-
pose of giving the average mind a clear
conception of the conditions requisite
for the making Of a millionaire. Take
the example of a large fertile Island,
having great natural resources, which
was colonized by one thousand men
with their families, the conditions being
that each man must possess $1,000 in
order to make it a million dollar colony,
since, if one thousand men have a
thousand dollars each, the aggregate is
one million dollars. Thus they all
start even-each man has his own
thousand dollars and all goes well. I
need not tell the reader, however, that
they do not all remain long in possess
ion of 81, 900 apiece.
Some men seem born to make money,
and some~men to spend it. Some are
saving and others are wasteful. In a
short time important changes place in
this island colony. Passing over five
years we find conditions altered in a
remarkable manner. There was one
man, a Mr.. Arnold, in this colony Of a
thousand men, who made money as if
by magic. He had great energy and
business sagacity and he inaugurated
many productive industries. always ON
land which he owned. He induced
many others to join him in starting
these enterprises; also in building rail
roads, and he managed to control them
all. He also established a bank and the
money Of the colony was deposited in
it, which he loaned to such as desired
to enlarge their business or make their
homes attractive. And it was really
surprising how fast he made money.
So one day he resolved to bcc3me a
millionaire.
At this point we must look at the sit
uation of our thousand men and take
stock"-see how each man stands. We
ind that our "born" money maker is
now worth 800, 900, and of course Mr..
Arnold is the leading citizen" Mr..
Jacobs has done we'll, too, and so has
Mr.. Springer, for each is worth $780, 600.
But let III get at the schedule. These
are the changes in-fve years:
One man has accumulated. 800, 900
Two men have each $50, 900 ... LOO, 600
Four have each $25, 900 ....... 100, 900
Ten have each $40, 900 ........ 100, 600
Twenty have each s.. OO0...... 100, 600
Forty have each 50. 5000 ...... 100, 600
Two hundred men only have
kept their 81, 900 EACH. 200, 600
Three hundred men have but
$500 each. $50, 600
Two hundred men have but
$3.50 each. 50. 600