The Irish standard., 1912-11-02

seS VI AaOl. oHly IeuuCeu Lldr gins,
when the inevitable crop of progress
sive reform Is harvested into panic
and hard times, but in large part put
into bankruptcy and the remainder to
pull through only if their assets are
sufficient to carry them.
OF the existing wealth, the whole
corporation controls not over forty
per cent. 1t includes but very little
OF the forty-hve billion of farm val
ues, practically all of inc twenty bill
lion OF value of the railroads, and in
large part Of the fifteen billion of
mines. OF the city and miscellaneous
property, it may cover forty per cent
of the sixty-f1ve billion-in all, sixty
one billion, OF forty-two per cent Of
the total-one hundred forty-five bill
lion estimated wealth. There are
about three and one-half million
stockholders of the existing corpora
tons. AS there is an average of five
members of the family, dependent
upon or associated with each of the
four million, . the corporate interests
represent over seventeen millions of
people or about eighteen per cent of
, the population, to own the forty-two
per cent.
This forty-two per cent is not
owned by the two per cent, who are
accused of owning and appropriating
ninety-five to ninety-eight per cent
of all this wealth. A very large pro-
portion of the corporation stock and
bonds belongs to the common citizen
ship. OF this, the large estates that
are the subject of such prejudice, own
possibly forty per cent of the forty
two per cent, or less than seventeen
per cent of the aggregate wealth, in
place of the ninety-five or ninety
eight.
The great drawback of poverty and
hard times is not in the system of dis
tribution-it is more essentially IN the
improvident use of the earnings and
income of the workingmen and people
generally, including the capitalists and
middle class. If all the people, out
side Of the weather. capitalists, would
use to best advantage and save and
economize to the fullest extent, con-
sistent with comfortable living, the
common citizenship would soon be-
come their own capitalists and be so
independent that they could demand
as wages, salary or profits, at least
the full contribution value of their
services.
If the workinsmen would rightly
use their salaries and wages by econ
omy, prudence, industry and strict
temperance and render their homes a
JOY and satisfaction to themselves and
their families. they might become
; their own capitalists and during the
later years they would live on the
fruits of their earlier industry.
If liquor waste could be eliminated,
saving of billion and half dol
lars per annum could be added to the
comfort, welfare and the savings and
capital of the working people. Through
this they could secure good homes for
themselves and families and under
ordinarily favorable conditions could
save enough to make them comfort
able in their later years, complete the
education and start in life of their
children in place of the greater pow
erty and unfortunate conditions
/ brought about largely by intemper-
ance, but falsely charged to capital
ism. Some workingmen follow this
course and accomplish such desirable
results. Many who are getting but
moderate wages have been more eco
/ nomical, Industrious and progressive
than others who have received much
larger - double or treble the weekly
wages. Many of those who are re-
ceiving the highest wages are more
inclined to waste their income and
spend their time away from their
homes and in the saloons and other
resorts. The highest wages do not in
dictate homes paid for and increasing
income from interest or rents, as
commonly as from medium wages
Thriftlessness and liquor incomparably
more than trusts or low wages are
| the principal causes of poverty and
hard fare.
| The workingman is more favorable
to the saloonkeeper than to his en-
ployer, whose relations to him is to
make him natural ally and friend,
while the saloonkeeper's whole intlu-
ence Is destructive to his interests and
welfare. Why does the reformer not
seek to reform here where reform is
needed, and where it might accom-
plish a hundred times greater service
r. Tho ooxo,,o. ooorlo wall ,c =,