Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-26
Where Jones Errs.


There are many Joneses of Ohio, but
there is only one Sam Jones of Toledo,
Ohio. He was elected mayor of his
city on a Golden Rule platform, and
now he is a self-nominated candidate
for governor. carrying his boom over
the state in an automobile. Like his
namesake, the famous Georgian evan
gelist, he is a picturesque character.
He is something of a socialist. some
thing of an ass, and something of a
demagogue. For instance, in a recent
address he declared that there are a
few very wealthy people in this coun-
try, a few and lessening number of
those who have a little property and
increasing millions of those in deep
want and misery.
Every intelligent listener in his audi
ence must have known that that was
a demagogic misstatement. Every
reader knows that it is far removed
from the truth. 1t is true that there
are number of immense fortunes in
this country, and it is only fair to add
that most of them We're acquired by
the energy and industry of those now
holding them. But the intimation that
the so called middle class of people
those who own a little, is decreasing, is
all wrong The exact opposite is true
1t is characteristic of American civil
ization that it encourages thrift and
gives merit its due reward, and there is
poverty into comfort. There are not
millions of people in deep want and
misery in this country. There are
thousands not mil!io-s Ct this class,
and the number is growing smaller
rather than larger. 1t is certain that
no great country in the world has 50
few abjectly poor people in proportion
to its population as this country has.
The complete refutatiOn of Mr.
Jones statement, which is one often
repeated by men of his stamp, is found
in the returns of the savings banks, in
the vast number of farm mortgages be-
ing cancelled. in the absence of labor
troubles, and in numerous other proofs
The returns of railroad and other
great corporations show that, while
large stock holders generally hold the
ma jorty in few blocks still there is a
haIa nf hn a
divided among many owners. These
owners are not "plutoCrats;' they are
quiet. industrious, saving people. The
main strength, today of the great fort
unes. invested in corporate property, is
due in great measure to the fact that
SO many people of small means have
their money similarly invested, and to
attack one is to attack all.
OF course. there is poverty and
misery in the world. There always has
been and there always will be, until
the millennium. Moreover. the range
of human wants is widening, and peo-
pie are not satisfied with the lit
tie of a few generations ago. There
are always wasteful people, loafers,
unfortunates, malcontents and pcssi-
msts. But it is not true that the poor
class is growing larger and poorer 1t
is becoming smaller and better off, for
those may labor who will and the
wages of labor We're never worth more
than today. on the other hand capital
is bringing in Il smaller return, with
the steadily decreasing rate of interest.
1t was never more true than today that
industry, economy, sobricty and intel
ligence cannot fail to bring comfort
and prosperity. Sam Jones and his
fellow calamity howlers are nothing
more than minute barnaclcs on the
ship of national progress.