Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-16
WARNS THE WEALTHY
President Schurman Says Co.
Iossal Fortunes Are on Trial..
Discomfort OF. THE POOR
Conditions That Might Bring About
Revolution.
WHERE FUTURE SAFETY LIES
Opposes Socialism. But Favors In
dividualism With Proper
Social Spirit.
WHERE FUTURE SAFETY LIES

OMAHA. Ncb. December !6.-The
principal speaker at today'S exercises at
the national corn exposition was Or. ia
cob Gould Schurman. president of Cor
neil University. The immense concert
hall of the exposition building was pack
cd when the distinguished educator was
introduced by Charles c.. Rosewater.
chairman of the meeting. DR.. SchurmaE
discussed the problem of great fortunes.
He said i'm the course of his address:
Many minds are rendered susceptible
TO the allurements of socialism by resent
ment at existing contrasts between our
very rich and our very poor. while that
equality which is the foundation of The
socialistic state has something in it akin
to the sense of justice and fair treatment.
which is the deepest element in the moral
nature of man.
While sympathze with the socialistic
desire to improve the condition Of our
unpropertied classes, ] have no faith in
the socialists panacea. That forced. UNI
just and unnatural equality for which he
stands would destroy the genius. energy
and Initiative of the individuals to which
the progress Of civiiza ton is in the last
analysis due. And the socialists suppO-
sition that the state would manage great
industrial enterprises successfully as
private individuals Is refuted every day
ny experience and observation of the
manner in which in all countries business
Is conducted by the political leaders and
managers who constitute government for
the time being.
Revolution Might Come.
Nevertheless / am profoundly con-
WINGED that new and serious problem is
arising for us in consequence Of the in
creasing inequalities of economic condi-
tons. And ] suppose no one could deny
that the contrast between the rich and
the poor would conCeivably reach point
NJ which there was no alternative but
revolution. That is to say. the number of
people in the country without property
might become large and wealth so
concentrated that ii would not seem to
the voters worth while to perpetuate
FORM of government under which such in
equali'ies had been developed and were
being maintained. And we must not for
a moment lose sight of the fact that the
right 10 hold private property and the
right 10 bequeath it. as well as the exist
.ence of the republic Itself. depend entirely
on tho sentiments of the voters OF the
country. The majority must be reason
ably. satisfied With our institutions or our
institutions will he modified to meet their
views and sentiments.
Let us not. however. be guilty of
misrepresentation or exaggerated alarm.
Socialism. as | have said is an impossi-
b;lity: individualism is the only work.
able scheme of society. and when tenn
pered with proper social spirit it is
the justest scheme. The danger, how
ever, which lies near il is of becomin.
anti social and of breeding revolution.
Its safety lies in renewed baptisms of
the social spirit And that social spirit,
while admitting INEQUALITIES and even
great inequalities, yet exercises an inf1u-
encc i'm the direction of greater equality.
1t thus becomes the purifier and pre-
servative of existing institutions. The
men who fight it. the men who contend
N INIT nd flDf Yalf
,correlate of the free individual. are the
doughtiest champions of revolution. How
ever sincere they may be- they are woful-
~ Short-Sighted.
Vast Fortunes on Trial.
Colossal fortunes are on trial in this
country. Whether and how far it is
worth while TO encourage and protect
them is question for the future. The
voters of the country who will answer
ii will have their sentiments and opinions
influenced by the use to which these own
ers put their fortunes in their lifetime
an the manner in which they dispose of
them at their death.
President SchGrman went on TO point
out that II muit-miiionaires themselves
failed to recognize their obligation to
share their fortunes with the community
which they have accumulated with the
cooperation of the community. then it
is in. the power of the government to
enforce this obligation by a system of
taxation on the transfer and inheritance
OF decedents' estates. He expressed the
opinion that there was no 'juster tax;
no tax whose incidence is more lightly
fe.t " He suggested that lin connection
with this national corn exposition the
Governor of Nebraska call conference
OF governors or other representatives of
the several states to formulate a policy
on inheritance taxes"
Regulation of Corporations.
The problem of the supervision and
regulation of public service corporations
President Schurman said. has under the
leadership of Gov Hughes been salts
factorily solved in the state of New York
These commissions arc at all times ready
Il hear complaints and to represent the
rights and interests of the people. On
the other hand they must do Justice to
the corporations: for any order involving
confIscation of property would be re-
vie~able in the courts and by the courts
set aside.
Equally valuable are these commissions
from the point OF view of the corpora
tons. for they protect the corporate
against hasty and ill-considered action by
the legislature and assure them at all
times OF absolutely just treatment.