Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-25

: 4 y =
long line OF hungry men at midnight In
the same city, constituting, the bread
line. ~ Girls working; in stores for IS
a week, and the proprietor of such
stores dying and leaving millions to
museums.
'Is 1t any wonder that the people OF
the country are restless?2 The prob
lem of the control OF great wealth is
the most important problem OF the
hour and the one that should receive
our attention"
/ The cheapest road to notorlety is
the attacking of something that is, &C
cording to popular impares's y . Z. sue u
According. to the, Chicago Tribune
Senator Kenyon started on that path
this week, although he didn't go as
far az some speakers do on this com
mon carrier, prejudice.
Senator. Kenyon Is q. young man.
He has, in natural expectancy many
years Of his life yet to come-these
should be the years OF his best bust
ness Judgment. He should weigh
his words long before uttering them.
He is. started on his national career
under favorable circumstances for
him. and he has a great opportunity.
He has field for useful work that Is
too big to necessitate, his taking up
the oratorical instead of the practical
part of governmental matters.
We confess our inability to under
stand why rich people are criticised
for spending their money. 1t Is easy
to understand why rich man who Is
penurious. and boards all he can get,
is spoken of as bad for a community,
but why q successful man Is con-
demned for keeping his money In cir
culation by buying articles, the manG-
facture of which employs labor, is be-
yond us.
why criticise the millionaire who
buys q 100000 organ? Wouldn't it
be more consistent to ,criticise him II
he bought one costing only $12O? The
organ is simply metal and wood and
labor. When he bought this instru-
ment this man gave number OF men
the opportunity to be self-supporting
producers; he gave them the chance
to create something Of extraordinary
excellence; he gave them the oppor-
tunity OF realizing the satisfaction OF
having done something in an excellent
manner. That was much better way
to distribute such sum of money
than to have given 1900 men 800
each.
What kind of cog is it in our head
that condemns a man who pays $780,
600 for painting and praises the man
who receives the money!? Unless
someone possesses the necessary
wealth none can buy at that price.
Humanity nor civilization had no
hand in forming conditions that make
some stronger mentally and physically
than others; that make some better
LAWYERS, better carpenters, better
cooks and better managers. In times
of intense demands and business &C
tiyities. the separation of different
grades of abilities and application will
be more marked. Those who have
extra ability to initiate and do sue
'cessfully create big employing insti-
tutions for the prospect of gain, at the
risk of great loss. are going to occupy
different positions from those who
will not, or are situated so they feel
they cannot risk what they have or
expect to make from month to month.
That cannot and ought not be stopped.
There are in every shop or store or
business IN the world where twenty
or more are employed, some who
look neat, pay their bills promptly,
raise a family and save some money.
There are others, getting the same
wages, who draw and spend their
money as fast as they make it. are al
ways behind with their bills, never
get ahead and are always dissatisfied.
No law can change that. Increases
in wages make the difference between
them greater and more distinct, be-
cause one saves more and the other
spends all he gets, no matter what it
is
There are number of things In