The Washington herald., 1906-10-30
Other pennIe,s Money.

The earliest records of civilization testify
to the jealousy with which men have re-
garded wealth which they did not possess.
The feeling was prevalent in the days OF
the Decalogue. Thou shalt not covet, "
says the tenth commandment.
The accumulation Of great fortunes Ia
these modern days has stimulated the
.covetous regard which is n part OF human
nature. We view with envy the millions
which other people possess. and wish thar
Dame Fortune had smiled upon Us. There
is q tendency. however to go further
and plan some method whereby the
wealth that belongs to others can be
shared by us. The suggestion is not a
new one. Schemes for the equal distri-
button of wealth have been put forth by
philosophers from time inmemoriaI. and
learned treatises upon the problem fill
every library. II matters nothing that
these profound dissertations have availed
nothing-that disparity in the possession
OF riches exists to-day as II did IN the
time OF Moses. The fortunes Of the sue
cessfuI ones are stiH an object OF attack.
The subject has a peculiar interest al
this time, in view Of the recent utteranceS
Of President Roosevelt. and in connection
with suggestions as 10 the best methods
to secure a Limitation OF Individual for
tunes. Expressing a high regard for Mr.
Roosevelts wisdom and sincerity Of pur-
pose, we nevertheless venture the opinion
that in his latest reform ne is treading
where every step ought to be carefully
considered. Certainly il is a grave ques-
ton how far the government. even II il
be for the people. OF the people. and by
the people. has a right 70 step IN and
take away from any man or from his
children that which they possess or in
herit Some men have what is known as
the faculty for making money. They
are endowed with a peculiar talent. just
as other men are great poets. or painters.
or discOverers. Il is now seriously pro-
posed. however, 10 place a tax upon this
especial manifestation Of genius. to make
some men. in fact, pay penalty because
they are more gifted Than their fellows
1t is, apparently, to make no difference
that the talent has been developed BY
industry. application. and intelligence. All
is forgotten In the fact that fortune has
been accumulated. and its existence is
sufficient excuse for any assault that
may be made upon IT,
In Utopia, perhaps. some men would not
ride in luxury while others walked in
poverty. The world, however, is not
UtopiaH. nor will all the legislation which
seeks to equalize wealth be effective IN
rfoo fFrrr rrrft-ov-oT borrFvoro A. - ..
human nature remains unchanged. all the
money in the world might be divided to-
day. and six months hence the present
inequality would again exist. We very
seriously question, therefore. the efficacy
of the present agitation. In fact. il may
be productive of much harm. Il is calcu-
lated to excite cupidity and envy, TO
create in every youthful mind the i'm
preston that the rich are the object Of
legitimate attack. If carried to its logical
it would atrophy every. senti-
ment of ambition and thrift and indus
try in the human breast.
Il may be asserted that immense for
tunes are not honestly acquired This as
sertion is purely ethical. and when con
tTadiCted. as it certainly would be in
every case. invites an indecisive discus
sion Broadly speaking, II a man obtains
money dishonesty. the law ought to
punish him, and if there is not a sufficient
iy rigorous statute already enacted, The
deficiency ought to be remedied The
point we desire to emphasize is that the
mere fact that a man has accumulated
a fortune is no excuse for subiecting him
or his estate To legalized robbery. This.
unfortunately. is the present DRIFT. and Il
is a situation which warrants the atten-
tion Of every sane and thoughtful mind