The times., 1899-12-05
The 17uturc Of rIutocracy.

There is 10 question whatever That q
plutocratle government is q bad thing. ami
that e Tluloc1acy is, in its immediate CT
iecis. worse than 81 aristocracy. because
s. bas 10 caste pride. 10 hereditary ideals
and few OF The good effects on the masses
which worthy a-istocracy may have. In
& country where caste is settled 5y hc-o5i-y
and roL hy-mo-5y the people Of the I@bcIing
classes, H they are reasonably couJsuted
with th-ir condition. have q chance 70 de-
1elop certain sterling. healthy virtues by
no mearz 70 be desrizc5. while the arist0-
crat. GA -hc other hand. develops a delicate
sense o. honor, { pride, and a generosity
which are rot at all unworthy attributes.
IN a society which Is continually upset 10y
The mixing Of different grades Of the rop-
uIatiou, The downfall of leaders and the riz-
ing Of new forces. some OF these good, old
conservative virtues may be shufled out q
sight.
But the thing 70 be considered in estab-
fishing ueW State IS the ultimate effect
Of given conditions; the influence which
these win have in the making of q nation
which is 10 endure for centuries. rot the
Immediate comfort Of the people cf today.
OF course, oppression today viii not make
Justice tomorrow; wrong Is a wrong. and
must be paid for some day by the state
which c0ndones or fosters u; bur The minor
discomforts q Q very mixed and unhappy
condition Of things may be. and ought 20
be. tolerated with some patience ii they
-esult in strong nation hereafter. There
is this 10 be said in favor OF the pluto
cratic State, as compared Uith the state
governed by a hereditary arist0cracy. TE5
former cvI system must, in the nature O.
Things. 60 10 pieces quickly There have
been people who seriously feared the estab-
Iishmelt of permanent ruling class in this
country based on wealth; but this is not
possible, although at present the gravita-
ti0u OF affairs seems 10 be in that direction.
The reason Is rather complicated, but per
fectly clear.
The plutocratic ruler can only retain his
power through ability 10 manage large in
terests. He must be, in reality. as in the
slang Of the day, q king-a sugar king. a
leather king, silver king, as the case
may be. Many hereditary monarchs have
hn easy time in comparison with him. He
must hold his own against competition.
changing conditions, the caprices Of fate.
This task demands a man Of great exec
utive ability as actual owner OF the prop
erty OF as agent The man who rises from
comparative poverty to the position OF a
uld-millionaire usually has this quality;
for il be had 81 not he would quickly lose
his fortune. The money passes 20 his
heirs. They viii be very exceptional per
sons il they number among them a man
Who has as much administrative capacity
as tie original founder CT the fortune. and
The chances OF such man being found in
The third or fourth generation are slen-
der indeed. Thus, in the nature Of things,
the plutocracy cannot stand. because as
soon as the line CT succession breaks-as
socu as there IS d spendthrift OF incompe-
tent at the head Of thiugs-the big fortune
viii tiy 10 the four points o. the compass.
Ilae- the syndicates seem TO be meeting
This difficulty, after a fashion; but they.
Too. must have an end. There is no pub
-ie sentiment which viii support them.
and enable them 10 hold their own against
the competition Of men who have risen
from The ranks There VIII be a perpet-
ual uDserting and overurning Of things
from generation to generation. and the re-
suit Of it all VIII probably be that the
plutocratic ideal VIII not stamp itself on
the life OF the nation IN any such demoral-
Sing way as the feudal aristocracy has been
Impressed on the constitution OF The Eu-
rapean peasant The American working
nan will never be permanently q funky.
le may have To sacrifice something OF his
self respect for the sake Of earning his
bread ANA butter but Il is always with the
saving clause that he, or his children. at
any rate, may live 70 see his late superiors