The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1902-05-23

alton, and SO on at the steady and un-
ce asing rate Of 300 per day clear, until
the entire precious Inheritance was
turned over to you, to be so increased
every day by you, how much do you
think YOU would have? \ mere pit
tance compared to the Vanderbilt for
time, for the Revolution was but as
yesterday compared to the time of
Adam. One hundred dollars per day
clear is getting rich pretty fast, isn'tit?
And from the time of Adam is a lshg
time to continue this rate, isn't it? 1t
seems beyond belief that any man
should have ever amassed fortune
equal to the sum total of 800 per day
from the time of Adam. Before retir-
ing that night put the problem to the
test of figures, and was surprised to
fall about 500, ,000,00o short of that of
the Commodore The figuring is easy.
Work it out for yourself.
Every school boy should work it out,
aad then go home and ask his father
why it is that in this free and
equaW country any man should have
the opportunity to get 50 far ahead of
his fellows. How many fathers would
be able to tell how it was done. Every
school boy should take the matter to
his teacher, also, and ask all sorts of
questions about it. Then it should go
to the Sunday-school teacher for con-
sideration of the ethics involved. How
will you answer your inquisitive boy?
The question is ''up to you,o and you
can't escape it by 81 don't know and
it would be humiliating to you, an in
telligent American citizen, to make
this confession to your boy. | hope
that none will make the infinitely
worse and utterly unpatriotie reply,
81 don't careo If you don't take hold
of this question, it will take hold of
you If had access TO the school boys
of this country, | would try to inspire
the future voters to astonish the pres
ent voters with their interest in pres
ent important problems, and demand
for their satisfactory solution School
boys like fair play; upon the play
ground they give and demand
fair play. When they become voters
they may carry this wholesome habit
with them, and then look out. The
Vanderbilt feat will not be possible
then, and it ought not to be possible.
Such inequality and unfair division of
results would not be tolerated for a
moment on the playground Any
healthy boy would say, it isn't right;
it isn't fair; it isn't desirable; one
sided game isn't even interesting.
Why don't men feel SO, and act so?
Maybe they will some time. If they
doa't, where will all this end?
/ recently asked Mr.. Henry D. Lloyd,
the distinguished writer on sociological
subjects, what he considered the most
threatening national danger at the
present time. He at once said, "the
rapid concentration OF wealth. He
further said: ''If this thing keeps on at
the present rate, it won't be long until
the children of excellent families will
have to become servants, lackeys' and
! 'funkeys' of the wealthy few. Those
who give up independence the most
completely, and become the most sub
servient, will become the most success
full. Thus a premium will be put upon
subserviency."
How did the elder Vanderbilt get his
$2o), 900, 900? The question is not Van
derbilt the man, but the economic re-
lations between him and the rest of the
people in the accumulation OF his for
tule Of 5000, 900, 900. What economic
principles do you see clearly involved?
WHAT remedy or remedies would you
suggest? | hope that you will carry
this problem with you until you have
done some serious thinking. Think of
the Sl00 per day from Adam, till the
flood, then, according to the tradition,
in Noah's ark till after the flood,
the income continuing incessantly
then till the time of Jesus, then dur
ing the entire Christian era, through
the middle ages up to modern times,
then till the present moment, this
princely accumulation Of 500 clear per
day, and the sum total does not equal
one OF our modern fortunes! Other
fortunes are now being accumulated as
fas and possibly faster than the Van
derbilt fortune. How is it? and why
is It? Is itright? Is it good public policy
to permit such unlimited accumula-
ton in private hands2
True, we do not want to discourage
enterprise, neither private nor publil.
Also, every one should receive the re-
suits Of his own industry and:enter-
prise. Please put emphasis on his
own. When we see one man accumu-
. lat.ng a fortune OF $20o,ooo,00o during
life time, and when we are led to