The Newtown bee., 1900-07-13

culture Of our country. The wealth ha 8
Increased from seven billion dollars in
1850 to 65 billions In 1890, perhaps to 80
or 80 billions to-day. What vast power
does this mean! To-day pleasant days
ride in luxurious car carries US from
New York to Chicago. Our grandfathers
must have gone in the jolting emigrant
wagon, badly fed, through wilderness
in monotonous wearisome Journey of
| two or three months Twelve weeks
now done in one day, In luxury. Our
| clothes are made of woods from Australia
as well as New England, woven by ma
chinery in few minutes and at small
| price measured in beauty and days
| labor. Food comes to us from Brazil
and China, from home and abroad. Be-
fore the ink is well dry the thoughts of
our friends have been brought to our
station. Now we know what is going on
in South Africa and in Japan quite as
well as the news In Goshen. The whole
world is being levied on for supplies; all
mankind live next door. What power
hundred hands, hundred brains are
ours!
Moreover, what we gain is secure.
Robbers seldom modest the streets of
London, nor do they attack US. The
physician fast adds to the length of hu-
man life. That lower stratum of society,
poor, diseased. weak, which formerly
succumbed In the struggle for life, is now
rescued by the strong. Longer life of
the individual, almost the whole race
given chance, the whole world solicited
into one brain and body, our fruits
secure-such is the fact and promise of
power in this wonderful upward move
ment of mankind.
But when the disciples, viewing the
temple, said: "Lord, what stones, what
grandeur" He replied: "The time
cometh when not one stone shall stand
upon another" In it's fair forms were
the seeds Of destruction. Were one
standing before 3O-story Park Row, the
underground railroad system, the mag
nifcent Bridge to boast of their perpetu-
sty, is 1t possible that in this case a like
reply would be given by the Master? A
pagan spirit may dwell in all this gran
deur-and he is pagan not merely who
bows down before idols, but any man
who makes himself God, saying, "Others
must serve my pleasure and WILL" In
Africa or America, that Ia the moral
atheist, the STOOL that In his heart saith
there is no God" No pagan spirit can
long preserve any body polite from dis
solution.
THAT THIS sELT.sEEKING Is RAMPANT,
all must admit. Doubling economists
find occasion for dread. Edward Bellamy
says few plutocrats ride In q gilded
coach pulled and pushed by the multi
tude. Mr. Lloyd in his "Wealth versus
Commonwealth" is shocked at the ir jus-
tice of distribution OF riches. Ignatius
Donnelly portrays in the grinding down
OF the laborer the Glow crushing Of
body and mind which, however, in q
final struggle to rescue itself, buries
civilization from the earth. Let us hasten
to dissent from such pessimism. Yet
that the wage-earner does feel himself
misused is evidenced by the labor organ
izations with their fearful strikes. The
monstrous combinations Of capital in
trust and natural monopoly give cause
both for fear and hope. Mr. Carnegie
has announced as principle to guide
rich men that all should in their lifetime |
give the great proportion OF their wealth |
to the public good in the form Of libra
ries, hospitals, schools, etc.
On the other hand we view with some
apprehension that corporation, unique
among monopolies, which has extended |
It's control over the oil wells about the
Caspian Sea besides those in America
sends it's wagons in merciless war In the
very track Of its competitors; is reputed
20 have brought pressure to bear on q
governor, legislature and judges Of
great state to gain In foul ways what
was impossible In open strife; and de-
,lares In portion Of one year the encr-
nous dividend Of more than $17 900, 900
Ifter raising the price Of OIL on helpless
,ublic. We rejoice that the man 0f ex-
'cutlVe ability who In former times could
Ind room tor bis strength only III cohtrolI
4 armies o. Of states may now become
dministrator p ! vast productive In