Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-12-28
ATTACK WEALTH
OF PLUTOCRA1S
American Association Of
Scientists Meeting in
New York

New York, Dec. Z6.-Tne concen-
tration Of wealth In the hands Of a
comparatively few was vigorously de-
n0unced and earnestly defended at
the opening session OF the 57th
annual meeting of the America Ass
ISOLATION for the Advancement OF
Science.
Henry Laures Call Of Washington,
.. c., attacked the right of John D.
Rockefeller to his fortune on the
grounds that. he asserted, 1t was not
the result Of natural causes, but had
been created through corporate ac-
tivity which the speaker termed
Vicious
During subsequent session in an
address on 1.-THE Evolution Of Prop
erty." Louis G.. Mcpherson. assistant
to the late Samuel Spencer as presi-
dent of the southern railway, replied
to Mr.. Call. He declared that Mr.
Rockefeller has had his financial
Struggles and had done much good.
which was generally lost sight of in
the criticism which came with sue
cess. He told Of Mr.. Rockefeller's
early attempt to obtain $4,000 with
which to construct pipe line for
oil. One man who refused him aid
met the financier when the pipe line
had been laid. To him Mr.. Rookie
foller said: II built that pipe line
to make oil cheaper, and succeed
ed. / cut the cost half"
Too Poor for Oysters.
Mr.. McPherson told then less seri-
ously OF dinner party several years
ago at the Rockefeller home when
Mr.. Rockefellef explained the alb
sence Of oysters by saying: I'VE like
them. but are too poor to have, them. !"
This was to illustrate Mr.. McPher-
sens point that q man can be worth
800. 100000 and still be short of
ready cash II he kept his factories In
operation.
Wealth and railroads were but two
\ OF the many subjects discussed BY
the speakers.
After converting at Columbia uni
tversity where they were welcomed by
President Nicholas Murray Butler.
the several scientists separated into
various groups and many discussions
were opened. DIR. H. w. WEIGH OF
johns Hopkins university, the new
head OF the association, talked on
medicine.
At the meeting Of the section Of So
cial and economic science, Charles A.
Conant, vice president OF the Nor
ton Trust company. who presided, dis
cussed ASPECTS of the currency Ques-
ton"
Need New Banking Law.
He said that although 1t was too
much to expect congress to pass at
once a satisfactory measure for bank
irg reform. vet in due time sound leg
islation must result. otherwise our
prosperity will be arrested our rapidly
absorbed currency will prove inade-l
quate and we must be put at a great
n n Vyon f0 90 in MI
eign nations. The proposed bank note
law, he declared. was not INTENDED to
aid the banks. but to relieve restric-;
lions on credit.
| Henry Larues Call, Of Washington,
d. c.. read paper on the concentra-
ton Of wealth. Mr.. Call said:
Industrial society Is practically d.
rich ana the miserably poor, These
conditions come from monopoly OF
land and mineral resources, OF money,
OF transportation and other public util-
tiles as also Of industry, and to law
must we look for their correction. The
corporation should be made cooper
alive, instead OF. as now. the instru-
ship OF public utilities should be in
the public, as also the control and dis.
tn lion OF money. The corporation
principle and function should be ex-
tended to mines, as also to lands In
cities and elsewhere for Joint use ana
occupancy.
/ Must Fix Maximum Limit.
I'm this complex situation the most
just solution should be to fix some
maximum as the limit which any man
can be said to have acquired honest
ly or which he could have acquired
under just conditions all above such
reverting to the public. 1t would con-
form our institutions to the present
social cooperative nature Of industrial
society and inaugurate the one solu-
ton Of our social and Industrial prob
Ilems-practical scientific socialism