The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-09-24
LsAnyMan Good Enough to Be Rich?

lSAnyMan Good Enough to bel lch!
Gerald Stanley Lee has written book called Inspred
Milionaires He admits most of the premises of social
sm but the world must be served and saved by its
men of genius.
1t is the men of genius according to Mr. Lee who get
rich reat elemental forces silently working out the
destiny of man. he writes, 'have seized these men,
touched their eyes with vision They rich by revela
TONS by habits of great seeing and of great daring They
idealists"
Now how does Mr. Lee expect his inspired millionares
to revoutionize society and make better word' Hear
him again.
s'The first with invention in the twentieth
tury who viii be professional with itact like gentle
an artist with it who will dedicate it to humanity
and himself together who will keep absolute control of his
invention in order to make it creative and emancpatng
at every point where it touches human life who will scat
ter the opportunity and freedom of the invention into
the daily lives of the who making in the factory
and the daily lives of the who selling it in the
streetsn other words the first who will civze
entire industry, who will present this barbarc world
with industry that has been civilized in spite Of it,
and with to say it nay will be the greatest and
most impressive and most memorable figure of modern
times"
Perhaps but let us see what the outlook is for the APP
pearance of this memorable figure
Mr.. Lee admits that society being attacked and
exploited by its unnspred monares and contends that
the most natural and ogcal way for to be defended is
by its inspired ones.
He says this struggle will be succeeded by industrial
peace which will find capital dominated by who rep
resent the people and represent labor Finally he expects
kind of industrial democracy to emerge.
Mr. Lees IDEAS though fantastic, nevertheless
what fascinating and it is said that more than
of great wealth has been impressed by them and is think
ing seriously Of becoming INSPIRED millionaire" But
before anyone considers the matter seriously social
program we should ask ourselves this question
Is any GOOD enough to be rich!
Lincoln said mo man is good enough to another"
If good enough to do that then any good
enugh to the land without which another cannot pro-
duce his food to the water without which he cannot
satisfy his thirst to the machinery without which
he cannot supply his wants!
Suppose the 'men of vson'' who make Inventions dis
SandSta nd
do the advance thinking for mankind in general
REALLY the men who make the money resulting from
their genius, and suppose they ALWAYS followed
by who of genius, would it be safe to trust
them with the fate of the race7
The plain people of England say NOthey fighting
the landlords in order that they may get to the
earth.
The friends of conservation in America say NO-they
are struggling to retain control of water and timber and
minerals the public domain in order that their children
and chldrens children shall not be ensaved by private
monopolies who would otherwise control LIGHT, HEAT
and POWER.
Organized labor says Mott has banded the hosts of
workingmen together in order that they may have
thing like equal voice with their employer in fixing
the terms which they toll
Federal regulation says Not will not leave the peo-
pies food to be determined only by private greed will
it allow railway other corporations to do business in
the dark without regard to public authority.
No man is good enough to be rich in the of Mr.
Lees "nspired Milonaires. There good rich men,
plenty of Them of them inspired to do good works.
but Mr. Lee is absolutely wrong in his and eloquent
plea for an inspired plutocracy.
w mat THIS country needs today INSPIRED DEM
OCRACY. 1t needs INSPIRED LEADERS, both rich and
poor, INSPIRED POLICIES aiming at the greatest good
for the greatest number and INSPIRED VOTERS to hold
up the hands of such leaders and enable them put such
policies into effect.
And that is what we shall see We seeing it today
not only in England but in almost every state in the
Union. Everywhere rising above party and strv
ing to give the people free hand dealing with their
institutions.
This is the mening of the initiative the referendum and
the recall this the meaning of the reformed city charters
every hand. This is the meaning of insurgency in
the republican ranks and similar unrest among democrats
This is the meaning of the growing strength of socialism
in all civilized nations of the world
There will be 'new birth of freedom
SIMPLE ARITHMETIC