The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-04
LEADING EDITORIALS.
Frun the St Louis ostDispatch.
vuamYea A Kansas subscriber
rxrcronn.t to the Post Dispatch

Irum the ST. Louis Post Dispatch.
xvry.w ~e a Kansas subscriber
rrucror,.u, to the Post-Dlspatch.
who reports himself
as Impressed By a recent editorial la this
paper describing the contest between Fiiley
and Kerens as struggle for supremacy
between dcmagogue and a piutocrat, asks
Us 10 state precisely what We mean by the
term plutocrat He says that he is Ia no
doubt himself. but that a large number OF
! people interpret the Post Dispatch's de-
| nuneiaiion Of plutocracy and plutoorats as
simply an attack on wealth and those who
| possess II. In other words as he says.
many think that when we speak OF a plu-
tecrat We mean merely rich man.
IL any such impression prevails In Kansas
or elsewhere. the need for a definition OF
terms is obvious.
The Post Dispatch has no criticism 10
make upon wealth as such. On the con-
'rary, II recognizes that that accumulation
O; wealth which is simply the saved sur =
Plus of earnings over expenditures is one
M the primary conditions OF human pro-
gross and one of the corner stones OF what
Is called civilization. Nor has the Post
dispatch any quarrel with rich men as
such. IL believes that the concentration OF
wealth in tho hands OF a class and espe-
\ eiaIIy the piling UP of the colossal fortunes
that are among the most startling phenom-
ena of the present century are proof posi- :
i've oil discriminating laws and OF viii
ated public opinion. At the same time it
realizes that even a rich man who misuses
his wealth is not n plu,ocrat. nor does an
1 AGGREGATION OF rich men in community
constitute a plutocracy.
what then In a plutocrat3 4 plutocrat
is man VINO aims by the use OF money in
! politics TO attain a position OF power and
influence which he could not attain In any
other way; which he could not attain. for
example by Intellectual force, public
service or personal popularity. a plutocrat
~ man whose cardinal doctrine of pulitl-
cal ialth Is that money IS power. TIM prac-
ucal deduction from this doctrine is that
power should bc lodged In the hands that
possess money, And as money is the most
exclusive and arrogant of desputs where
money is accepted as the proper source ot
POWER It Is apt to he regarded IS the sole
source. Hence plutocrat looks upon those
VINO gain power through any other agen-
cios than money as vulssr usurpcrs to be
dispossesscd and trarnpled under foot as
soon as they can be reached
II follows that pIutocrat Is by nature
by habit OF thought ana by his conception
OF political forces hostile to any popular
or democratic form Of government. because
popular or democratic government means
rule by tho majority; and the plutocrat we'll
knows that accumulations Of money large
enough 10 constitute controlling power
never find their way into the hands of a
majority 81 tho people. II they aid the
value which he places Tpon money and
riches would be greatly lesspncd. 1t is tho
consciousness that he belongs to a small
class enjoying special privileges that gives
him bis creates, satisfaction in the posses
sion Of money and power
We hope this is clear. \ plutocrat is a
man who depends upon money alone for
political place and influence: who can not
understand the accomplishment OF anything
without money. \ plu'ocracy exists in any
community which is ruled by men who have
obtained th"ir power through the use or
misuse Of money.