Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-21
PRIVATE PROPERTY 40 ,HF,Hl1uM.

PRIVATE PROPERTY AD lNFINlTUm.
who Shall Own American" Is a
startling question asked In the title
line Of a very interesting article In the
American Illustrated Magazine of this
month by Judge Crossc1p OF Chicago.
The judge tells of the results OF our
wise, homestead laws in the individual
ownership Of land, which he thinks Is
the ideal order for society and by con-
trast he pictures the growth OF corr
poration ownership as great menace.
The government OF the United States
Is now collecting and expend-
ing an amount of money annually
that appals comparison with oil past
ages, yet q single corporation in this
| country receives and disperses annual
~ q sum far greater than does the
United States government. According
to Judge Grosscup the people now
working for wages without direct
ownership in the bushes in which
they are engaged or In the tools with
which they work numbers 100000,
or about half the working population.
Not only Is this the condition today
but corporations are growing and cor
poration ownership Of things expand
ing until Judge Grossctlp can see that
the ownership of America is going to
pass into the hands of corporations
who control them unless q change in
the drift of modern times IS made.
On the other hand he has figured
that the savings of the people deposit
ell in the savings banks OF the coun-
try and similar flduciary Institutions
would easily buy out all the corpora
ton property OF the country. hence
the Judge argues for change in the
system which shall make 1t possible
and altogether desirable for the Amer
lean people to invest their savings in
the business enterprises in which they
work rather than to deposit them with
trustees to be loaned to the corpora
ton captains who can get the ear Of
the trustees.
To this end the judge would have
national incorporation of all business
corporations. He would allow nothing
but common stock to be issued and
that of two kinds, the stock issued in
return for cash paid In and stock is
sued in return for betterments and
additions made to the property owned
by the corporation. Then he would
require national inspection and pub
lefty for all corporations just as is now
done for national banks and when,
everywhere would buy the stock Of
the business enterprises with which
they were working and that the own
ership of America would pass into the
hands of the people as the ownership
of the land has done.
The Judge opens an alluring pros
pect. Already the right of private
property is being besieged on all sides
by the growth of the socialists and the
municipal ownership movement Just,
now we see the active operations d.
rected toward ownership of public
utilities within the cities but soon
they will be turned toward the owner
ship Of the railroads and coal mines
and packing houses. Already we are
looking to the land owning rural folk
to protect our institutions. If Judge
Grosscup can suggest plan that will
interest the wage working millions in
the ownership of corporations he will
have headed off socialism and nihil-
ism. Publicity of all corporations,
tho. will be q bitter pill for Big
Business to swallow. The patient must
be brought face to face with the shad-
ow of death before he will submit to
the remedy.