Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
FUTURE OF SOCIETY
ARE SYMPTOMS OF COMING So
CIAL DISASTER VISIBLEP
The Multi Millionaire Cannot Live in
Free State on Equality With
Fellow Citizens.

JohL Bascon. III the independent
A spirit of forecast belongs to all knowl-
edge, and is thought to be the best proof of
its existence Physical disease has its pre-
monitions in the body or in the conditions
which surround it. If we are observant of
these admonitions, the larger share of COM
ing evils be escaped Still more is this
true of social disaster Not only are the
seeds of it In the soil. they are very visibly
there The preparation for difficulty is con-
spicuousy before us. The net is spread
in the sight of the bird to be caught by it.
In the generation Just passing forms of
social activity have shown themselves and
social states have arisen, which cannot but
alter the next thirty years. The multi
millionaire cannot be the member of a free
state on equal terms with his fellow citi-
zens. This would be true under any cir
wealth has been acquired in abuse and in
defiance of economic and civil law. This
additional fact shows that the tyrannical
temper is present, which, opportunity favor
ing will disregard all rights in behalf of
personal power We can hut predict that
the next generation is threatened with
still greater perversion of the conditions
which belong to a free and democratic COM
munity. These disastrous tendencies are
not felt at once, because n large middle
class is only slowly permeated by them.
Inc disease Is one Wnlcn taxes time 10 ull-
derrline the constitution which its attacks.
Equality of Opportunities.
The most obvious and Immediately serv-
iceable of CAPABILITIES, which go with free
institutions. is equality in economic oppor-
tunities. No other equality concerns so
many actions. or actions which so large
a share of welfare depends. The wealth
of which we are speaking has been accumu-
l1t cd ut ha n
now threatens utterly to destroy 1t. One
who can bring hundreds of millions TO an
undertaking. and, by little combination
can carry the capital invested into the bill
lions, has a power which in comparison
with that of men of ordinary means gives
him complete control of large undertakings.
Not only does this mastery extend to secur-
ing these forms of enterprise. it carries with
it the ability of making them, under almost
any circumstances, profitable. No compe-
titon and no fear of competition accom-
pany the development of business of this
order, ana unless the conception itself was
a piece of folly the profits of a monopoly
accrue to it at every stage. This wealth
may have been gained with hard struggle,
and at the expense of the rights of many,
but once acquired there need be no farther
trespass in it's use Legitimate well as
ilegitimate forms of business feel at once
this accumulation of power. Whether 1t is
steel production or the stock market that
is under conSidera ton. the multl-rnil !onaire
creates the conditions under which he oper-
ates. Equality of opportunity in business
relations has suffered a sudden overthrow
which the future will easily complete
Vice and Incidence.
Il was at one time felt that a large prop
erty would ordinarily be scattered in the
next generation. This expectation does not
apply to the magnitudes now contemplated,
but vice, prodigaIity. Incidence, can all
shelter themselves in these immense for
IL h. -frfy
Of Il cathedral. Our very worship will not
escape their cOntented chatter
This accumulation Of wealth has already
destroyed political equilibrium. Political
influence is won by a contribution to the eX-
penses which attend on gaining political
power. The ruling party is so pledged to
the support of given H1ancial policy that
its chief virtue comes to lie standing fast
in existing relations. Even the defeated
party is almost equally involved in the
same interested motives If it comes into
power it cannot easily institute or carry
out a scheme Of reform. The same net with
which its predecessor struggled in vain is
a once cast over it. and il can redeem but
few Of the pledges il made in the hour of
distress.
The hold which perverted business reIa-
tons have on politics is seen in the rat
road question. When the interstate COM
merce commission was established it was
supposed to have been granted a control
which it has since lost and IS struggling
in vain to recover. The commission was
instituted to govern rates in behalf Of the
public welfare. 1t has sunk into Il board
of council. whose suggestions may or may
not be followed. The officers of the rail-
roads to whose unfair terms much of the
mischief of accumulated wealth has been
due are left in control. The evil sprang
up in the presence of railroads and courts,
and the two are now to be left to correct
Il. The interstate commerce problem is
not one of a tardy and inadequate redress
Of a wrong after it has been committed,
but of anticipating and preventing the in
jury. Here is square issue between a
method that has signally failed and better
one which the people, nearly twenty years
since, intended to put in its place And
yet the commercial and political worlds
were never fuller of plausible reasons why
the railroads, and not the people, should
assign the conditions of traffic. There is a
hum in the hive. but no readjustment of its
position and relations.
Abuse of Privilege.
Social equality cannot hold its ground
while this abuse of privilege prevails in
production and in politics, A wealthy class
begins to act in vigorous modification of
society. There may remain for a time a
percentage of sober citizens, but little af-
fected by these fluctuations, but inherited
wealth will be associated with prodigality,
will drew to itself dependents and retain
ers whose interests are identified with its
own and, in large class, subject to the
drift of conventional sentiments will give
rise to admiration ana emulation. The as
sumption which so readily arises from
secondary considerations, the servilty so
Indigenous to men. require but little time
and opportunity to reappear.
The revival of feelings we have so long
repressed occurs the more readily because
of the exceedingly strong commercial tenn
per which belongs to us. A high order of
ability is disclosed in the pursuit of wealth. |
and wealth brings a real and still more os-
tensible enlargement of power.
Any approach to social equality must be
united with some equality in the con-
ditions of life Collective production now
bears this burden of unusual accumulation
and expenditure, and is borne down by it,
The aggregate gains waiting to be dis
tributed in many channels are diverted into
few deep canons. Ordinary effort meets
with increasing obstacles and diminished
returns. That separation In society between
wealth and indulgence those afoat and those
submerged, sets in; Il separation which is |
itself decay of society which is increased
by its own action, and which, so far, civili-
cation has never escaped.
Education.
The education on which we rely, to avoid |