Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-01-30
The Distribution OF Wealth.
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
the owner OF gigantic fortune of $3,733, 900, :
ooo which at per cent would yield him an
annual income OF $3.50, 900.
In 1900 the total sum paid in wages and sal
aries to the 5aI9,I57 persons employed in the
manufacturing industries of the United States
was, in round numbers, 2,785, OF 1000.
The Rockefeller fortune in 1852 will there
fore be more than double as much as the whole
wage bill of 1900 in all the factories and work
shops in the United States. His revenue will
be mere 'han three quarters of a million day.
The German Empire maintains the strongest
navy in the world, at an annual cost OF $685.
900, 900.
Mr. Rockefeller's personal income in 1852
will be very nearly equal to defraying the cost
of the strongest army i'll the world and the
strongest navy in the world. Does anyone be-
lieve that any state, let alone state baseu upon
the principles of democracy, will allow the ac-
emulation of such gigantic fund of treasure
in the hands Of a single citizen?
What, then, are the alternatives before us?
Mr.. Rockefeller may divide his fortune,
or give it away, or his fortune may take to itself
wings and flee away, i'll which case the opera
ton of natural economic causes will have re-
moved the danger now imminent on the near
horizon,
Rockefeller may become strong enough
in combination with other billonaires to domi
nate the democracy, overawe the legislature,
and make the executive his tool. In that case,
while the form of the republic might survive,
as it did under the Roman empire, all power
would lie centered il the hands of the billion
aire, and we would be living under the auto
matte rule of the plutocracy.
3 The democracy has become alarmed, and
by legislation and taxation, by progressive in
come tax and death duties, or by the simpler
process of direct appropriation, transfer the
Rockefeller billions to the national exchequer.
The second possibility, dismiss as unthink-
able.
The first is, of course, the most desirable.
But If it fails us, then the third becomes newt
able.
The bee master sees without alarm the extent
10 which his industrious insects store up the
honey crop OF whole countryside i'll few
hives. He sees with the utmost satisfaction
the conversion of millions of cells into billions.
The vast accumulation of the sweets OF field
and grove goes on unchecked all summer.
But autumn comes.
In olden days before the aparian learned the
true science of bee-keeping he incontinently
smothered his industrious workers and appro-
Nowadays he has grown at once more humane
and less wastefu.
He relieves them OF their superhuous store,
but carefully preserves for them sufficient honey
10 keep hem through the winter.
/ What the modern bee-keeper does to his bees
society will do to its billionaires.
When autumn comes, as come 1t will, the
public will say to the Millionaire: Friend,
we would not despoil you of one red cent that
you call your own which you can show us is
needful for your personal comforts or your lux
ury.
''But the enormous residue which YOU can
not spend, and which you can only administer
through hired servants-that residue which en-
enables you to overshadow the republic and
exercise dangerous influence in the common
veatll-that residue we shall transfer from
your control to the control of the elected repre-
sentatives of the people.
Cuisines will be carried on at the same old
stand, by the same old hands, only instead of
the net revenue of $2S6, 900 per annum
passing. into your private account, S25o,ooo,-
900 thereof will be used for the sinelloration of
the condition of the people.