The Washington bee., 1907-03-02
RICHES OF UNCLE SAM
TOTAL WEALTH REACHES STU.
PENDOUS FIGURES.
More Than Half a Dozen Americans
Worth Mare Than All the Rulers
of the World Together-All
Records Broken.

of the World Together-All
Records Broken.
WashingtOn-"Th United States is
the wealthiest nation in the world,
said a close friend of President Roose
velt's the other day, who had just
gone over a remarkable official report
which is soon to be made public He
added:
In a brief span of young life this
infant nation has broken all records
relating to the accumulation of riches.
We are beginning to think in billions,
instead of millions Take it any way
you like, our afiuence Outstrips any
thing ever known before.
Our country has more actual mon
ey, more gold, a larger volume of eX-
ports, greater banking facilities, rich
er farms, more productive mines. more
~ailrOads, more internal commerce,
more milliOuaires, more farmers, more
highly paid laborers, and a greater
distribution of luXuries than any other
has enjoyed since time began"
To prove all this some facts are
CLEANED at random from the reports
gathered by the statistical department
of the treasury.
One day last October Uncle Sam
had gathered int his money store
house in Washington the greatest
amount of gold ever collected in one
place in the history of the world
gold representing $871, 1898, ,S99. This
was indeed the high water mark.
There was in one little room more
gold than was in circulation in Great
Britain.
The largest receipt ever given and
the greatest money trust ever under
taken was when the present treasurer
Of the United States, Charles H. Treat.
went into Office. He receipted to Ellis
H. Roberts, retiring treasurer, for all
money and securities in the vaults of
the treasury, a total of $1,259, ,598, ,278.
1t required from July l to Sept. to
count the money and at the compile
ton of the task the accounts balanced
to a fraction.
The costliest governmental estab-
lishment in the world is the British
navy, upon which $780, 100000 has
been expended within the last ten
years. Yet three individual Ameri-
cans - Rockefeller, Carnegie, and
Clark-could have paid the whole bill
and have pocket money left.
The United States is spending about
100000 a year on it's navy, and
the country is new at this kind of ex-
penditure That it is not investing
more than it can afford is shown by
the fact that the display loving women
of the United States spent 100000
600 for diamonds purchased in foreign
lands during the last two years. In
fact, we are so rich the sales of prod
uce and manufactured articles we are
sending abroad each year are equal
to a sum sufficient to support all the
navies in the world.
When it comes to individual wealth
we have dozens of citizens who are
worth more than all the kings and
rulers of the world, taken collectively
or severally. The car is reputed to
have a greater income than any other
living man, but his private fortune is
so mixed up with government rev.
enues that it is impossible to separate
them. If distinction could be made
John D. Rockefeller undoubtedly could
make comparison with Nicholas, and
show the biggest revenue. The Rus
sian monarch's wealth is the accnmu-
lation of an empire centuries old in
making, while the Ohio oil magnate
can remember when he had nothing
Leopold, king of the Belgians, is the
richest monarch in Europe after the
czar. Although his income from the
state is but $1,7OO,OOO a year, his
business interests are so large and the
income from the Congo Free state so
great, it is estimated he gathers $5-
100000 annually. Senator Clark has
an income that is at least three times
as great.
AIphOnso XIII. has 81, 400 900 a year
to provide a style that should sur
round a king, but John Jacob Astor
could easily outstrip this youthful
monarch if he felt disposed The kais-
er receives a small annual allowance,
only $65O,OOO, so that either William
K. Vanderbilt or August Belmont has
more ready money at his disposal
than Germany's emperor.