The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
IMPENDING SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
Concentration OF Wealth a Great
Revolution in American Ideals.

Concentration OF Wealth Great
Revolution in American Ideals.
From the New York Journal q Commerce.
The factors principally contributing 20
the impending disturbance Of the worlds
social and political equilibrium may bs
reckoned as four-fold-the unendurabis
abuses of the power and privileges Of
corporate institutions in our own coun-
try; the serious tendency toward the
displacement Of British democracy by
rampant socialism: the rapid cOnsolida-
ton Of socialisuc institutions on the
continent, and especially in Germany;
the rapid concentration Of political
forces in Japan and China, and, we may
further add. the attitude Of Germany as
a commercial competitor and an aspirant
for the political mastery Of Europe. Il
will scarcely be anywhere questioned
that these are the paramount issues
which now actUate the classes and the
interests which aspire TO shape the
worlds immediate destinies. The ap-
prOaCh Of these developments has for
some time been increasingly apparent
Their beginnings are traceable 10 the
characterization Of education and Of the
elective franchise. At last we seem %
be reaching the stage Of fruirion, and
with what results of political change and
through what viOlences of transition men
begin 10 anxiously wonder.
In this country, the millionaire trusts,
though largely subjected 10 vigorous
legal test. show no abatement Of their
aggressiOug- The only check Upon their
progress lies in the elimination OF in
dustries Of too secondary importance 10
be tempting to the application Of mon
Opolistic methods. Il is probably no eX-
aggeratiOn 70 estimate that theTe-fOuTths
OF the known mineral resources Of the
country are now under the sway OF NAM
moth corporations whose methods are
wholly monopoHstic. Upon a still more
comprehensive scale the railroads are be
ing consolidated into groups embracing
thousands of miles each 50 that in "A
few years. the Sl4.0G 900 Of this form
Of property, expressly legalized for pub
lie utilities, will be principally under the
control OF monopoisuc organizations.
Indeed, we are closely approximating q
condition Ia which our mineral properties,
our larger manufacturing industries, and
our transportation facilities VIII be con-
troled by "a millionaire prOprietOrship.
relatively small ~ numbers, il is true,
but irresistible IN its influence over the
government, the legislative power. and
the industries of the nation Much Of
this revolution has already been ac-
cOmplished: and what assurance can we
have that the still Uuaccomplished will
fail TO follow in due course2 Already,
within a brief decade, the control Of the
nations most valuable possessions has
passed under the power Of mere hand
full of self-euriching fiuaucieTs.
Think Of the startling magnitude Of
this already accomplished devoluuon. Of
the vitality of these changes in the con-
/ stituent classes of the Commonwealth, Of
I the descriptions in the fTaternal relations
/ between the different classes in our citi-
zenship! Think of the essentially HristO-
I cratic rank introduced into our social
I life, Of the transfer Of the most vital
/ proprfetOrships Of the nation under the
/ control Of a class with whom the mass
4 Of our people have little or no sympathy,
/ Is this the fraternity aid mutUaI equity
I which we have fattered ourselves would
/ be the outgrowth and fruition of Ameri-
/ can Institutions? True, these develop
ments have been accepted with much
| patience and little really determined re-
/ monstrance. But what IS likely 20 be the
/ national mood when our hundred millions
/ awaken 10 an inadequate conception 81
/ the rights they have lost and Of the
| mOnopO!IstiC domination To which they
! have become subjected What will hap
pen in our politics when party leaders are
/ summoned 70 determine their attitudes
/ toward the newly enriched and their
/ aggressiOns? Where, in our impending
reconstructions, will be found a safe
/ haven for our modern multimillionair-
| isms? Can we safely count upon placid
| and permanent tolerance Of these recon
/ structiOnary changes? Or are We TO
/ reckon upon q legacy Of unappeasa bic
| popular wrath before which aggressors
must be made 10 bow? These questions
are suggested by the tendencies Of the
situation
Yet another weighty factor enters into
the determination Of these prospects.
J Whilst We are toleraung a system In
/ tended TO consolidate the national wealth
| in few score hands. the proletarian
! class, the world over. IS preparing the
way for the proclamation Of its supreme
| demanG-the equal distribution OF the
worlds wealth. Perhaps the socialist
| leaders would prefer to postpone This
| particular issue until the way 10 Il had
been opened by successes at more easily
| carried points But the sudden appear
| anCe of our formidable millionaire faction
/ preCipitates action on this. the most vital
/ issue. On the one hand, our consOIida-
tons of wealth tend TO iuternationalize
the sOcialistic movement: on the other,
the growing opposition TO mOnopoIistic
| organization IS stimulating the creation
Of new trusts before hostility 10 mOnOp-
ely becomes more aggravated Under
these circumstances. the situation becomes
the more seriously threatening-th ele-
ments on both sides being mutually
strongly provocative.