The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-26
Jhe Wessenger.
THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE GROWS
MORE INTENSE.

The Messenger years ago referred to
a fact that was quite patent to its un-
Outstanding. 1t was. that the republic
OF the United states had in a little over
one hundred years compassed in expert
ence and development, having passed
through various stages. that it took the
Roman people six or eight hundred
years TO accomplish. 1t said farther
that a final conflict between capital
and labor would inevitably occur in
this country compared with which the
famous French Revolution would be a
mere baby act. AS time passes the
correctness of this becomes the more
apparent
One OF the ablest OF northern publ
cations is the United States Investor.
In a late issue appears an editorial OF
such striking force and signifcancy
we must give come of it's more salient
points. 1t is a very thoughtful, I'M
pressive article, and is we'll worth a
careful reading. Among the multitude
of contributions in northern magazines
IldI uiStuSS DbIIlICdI cNOAAOAiilI, SoSidlp
scientific and industrial questions we
have seen no contribution hat has so
impressed us with it's wide observation,
its generalization, it's acuteness of
study. it's bold. broad, sane judgment.
The sum of the Investors contention
is. that wealth is now only for the few,
that the question of mere existence on
the part of the many becomes more in
tensified. that the rich are growing
richer and the poor are growing poor
er. that the none power has created
an ~aristocracy, that the young men
have poorer opportunities now tina
ha e ever before been seen in this great
republic. and that serious troubles are
SUR to come IN the future eliminating
in most destructive results.
The Investigator says men do not see
all this in the right light, or words
meaning that. but really see through
a glass darkly. They are narrow, nom
O~bseryant. cannot see things in the true
light and with broad vision. These are
our OWN words merely interpreting the
general statement of the paper referred
to. 1t is necessary to study the situa-
ton but by the aid of politics, morals.
business. science and SO on. We quote:
Every department of human activity
re1cts upon every other department.;
II if a man, in the conduct of his
finances. ignores the political, social
and moral considerations of his day
and generation. he is simply IL gam
bler-he ''goes it blind To be sure,
most people go it blind, and then they
sit down and bewail their cruel fate.
Life is a science"
AIen are not really serious in bust
ness activities and life is not taken as
it should be. The Investor insists that
men lack thoughtfulness, for thought
t-Ylness is the result of three things,
viz: the collection of the widest array
pof facts possible. the most careful cor
relating of those facts when once gath
cred. and a wise generalization from
the facts as correlated. What general
Iy passes for thought is not thought at
all: it is mere impulse. and can be
traced to secure quiet remote from the
L dlAtSlIIdlINe 1dCully. 1lcLIIe IL 10 that
most of us see life in mere detach-
ments-that is we view it piece-meal."
This able paper goes on to show the
great difference between the past and
present in the United States. 1t was
easy enough in the first two hundred
years of the settlement on these shores
for men to accumulate fortunes. 1t
was even comparatively easy to do
this at any time between 1900 and 1869.
The people who grow up with the
country are very apt to get rich; but
when the country has reached a high
stage of development. it is only select
ed individuals who attain to wealth..
Some OF these latter owe their success
largely to luck. but as a rule they sue
coed by reason of superior efficiency"
However slow people may be to take
in changed conditions n the facts ex-
listing as to livelihood. there have been
wrought astonishing results and far
reaching variations and subStitutions
in the broad field of industry and econ
-Omy. 1t was stated the other day by
the English chief man in finance that
in that land the rich were growing
richer and the people at large were less
able to live. This was shown by the
increased income tax from the rich.
and the falling off of tax on drinks, the
people being less able to indulge. But
the investor thinks the American peO-
pie are realizing now the increasing
difficulties in life and the cumulatinS
instructions liz making money. Its
words are that the struggle for exist
ence has been intensified to such an .ex-
tent in this country that the mass Of
the people recognize that if they can
keep soul and body together, il is all
they can ask. All this is of course eX-
planned easily on economic grounds.
When a country is new. and land is
cheap. and the demand for commo-
dities and services largely exceeds the
,,DrIxy uvaal+h lice Sa,*rara1 ON ayory-