Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-11-24
MULTi.MILLiOKAIRES
CAN SETTLE QUESTION
President Sokcrman of Cornell Uni.
vcrsity Talks of Our Dis.
contented Glasses.


Jacob Gould Schcrman, president
Oh tofiiell University, addressed Il
MiSe BODY OF business mon I'm Old
trinity at noon yesterday upon the
theme. Conscience In business" His
talk was one of course of loct.
l'res under the auspices of the Saa-
bury Society-says the New York
American.
One OF the most striking lutheran.
COS OF d.. Schurman was Just at
me close OF his address. 1t was IN.
lEarcntly all afterthought, ana not
part OF the prepared speech when
he said:
spoke to gathering of more
IMAM two thousand men who were
mostly laDOrers and wage carnprs,
NJ meeting I'D Cooper Union last
night, and these men are the vast
number who feel that things arc
radically wrong. At tho conclusion
or my talk | invited questions and
say to you that some of the uncs.
IONS would make your hair stand
on ends.
one said to me in NIL the serious.
ness the man could show, Don't you
lhlnk the city OF Now York SHOULD
seize all the available vacant land
between the Battery ana the Bronx
ana blilld thereon tcncmcnts that
should be rented to wagc.earncs and
l,lnofers ut fair rent and destroy
me hiSli prices for rents that we
nave to pay at present?"
Another question was, Isn't all
private wealth the result of theft?''
The condition of unrest is a
great problem. The rinpnccr must
face 1t, ana It is to be sincerely
hoped that part of the energy that
is now used to effect IN accumulation
OF wealth will he directed toward
ciccting solution OF this problem.
i-ct the linnncicr whose power Is
leit Try TO study out the grand solu.
,iohand Apply practically that Christ.
IKE care for men and establish Il
nrotherhooa of man that will make
1t part of It's creed"
DR.. Schurman said further in the
course OF his talk.
1T Is II common criticism OF the
present business conditions that
the man Of small means or no means
mas no chance to do anything for
| himsolf. The best lie can do is 10
take n position for wages or salary.
And so the business world is di-
VAed between Il comparatively small
number of large capitalists and n
great army of employees. The aver.
age mah's economic independence Is
gone. And with 1t has gone the
elnicai relation which In former days
subslstcd between the workers in
tho business world.
The boy without means cannot.
of course set up a factory or build
| n railway, or open department
store; but he can, not only as of
yore, become n blacksmith or a
rondmaker or clerk In village
lstore he can also become an employee
I'm fnctory or on railway or
III commercial house. And. though
IL Is much harder than formerly to
| start an independent business of any
KIND, IL must be remembered that
the vast majority of such ventures
| used to end in bankruptcy. But
under the present system of big
production, steady employment Is
the rule. So that the principal count
in the Indictment seem to rest on
the wages system under which we
| live.
| The masses of wage.earners arc.
believe, to-day in angry revolt
against the vast inequalities which
the present economic system pro-
duces. Shall the end be socialism,
lravclntion, or what?
For. remember that these dis
contented classes may easily COLI
lstitute the majority of our voters,
Snnd that in this republic policies are
eterinined by the vote OF the ma.
&rity.
. No men in tho nation can do so
In to settle this acute ana dam
us problem wisely and satisfact.
as our multi millonaires and
capitalists"