The Alaska daily empire., 1916-06-01
GREAT DANGER
 FACES COUNTRY
 IN WEALTH WAR

CHATTANOOGA. Tenn. June 1. - John Skelton Williams. comptroller of the currency, before the annual convention of the Tennessee Bank CTS Association, presented figures to show the increasing prosperity and growing banking power of the South, In this great accumulation of capital, as represented by the large bank de- poslts, Mir. Williams finds possibili. ties of great danger. He would have this wealth more eQuitably dlstri- buted, for the benefit of the farmer and rural districts, and he took oc' casion again to deprecate piling up of bank balances in financial cen ters.
 Distribution of Riches
 Unequal distribution of riches is the most dangerous of political and social diseases" he said q would be glad to put into the minds Of you gentlemen. controlling as you do SO SO large part of the money supply of the country. the trough that you may achieve much in preventing and lessening the discontent, unrest, re- sentiment, which disturb and threat en us. which stimulate the profes- slonal agitator. and encourage and strengthen the foes of peace and law
 Bitterness Against Wealth
 "All of us know that 1t takes two to make quarrel. and that In al- most every quarrel there is right and wrong on both sides. Unhappily in almost exact ratio as wealth and capital increase in large parts of this country. the bitterness against wealth and capital increases. We have not felt this acutely in the South because so far we have had very few great fortunes, and com paratively few very poor people. The slum districts in our southern cities are limited in extent and have few examples of really dire destitution resulting from general causes. But the billion has arrived. l think the figures that I have given you prove that 1t win be here In the South before very long It will mean dan ger and wise men try to think for the future
 Socialist Plan Unwlse.
 'I see no force or coherency in any plan the socialists have present ed. and realize fully that what we call phIanthrophy and beneyolence too frequently are merely incite- ments to mendicancy. Certainly am not advising you to lend the money of your shareholders and de- positors to people not likely to pay. I cannot avoid. however. the feeling that the solution of this tremendous problem and avoidance of danger looming just beyond us can be reach ed by the genius. the enterprise and the united action of American bank CTS.
 New and Grave Dangers
 The arrival of the billion as the unit in our returns and reports. our calculations and our financial think Ing. brings to us with new glory and greatness and power. new and very grave dangers. Billions in a few hands and a few pennies divided among many hands mean disruption, deadly disease. impotency and de- cay. and presently dlsintegration for any country.
 "The building up of small local industries undertaken by capable and willing hands; the development Of the great fundamental foundation agricultural industry. the helping Of the little business man who has characterd and ability and ambition, offers tremendous opportunities for not only the increase of an aggre- gate wealth and power but for the distribution of them. so that no wor- thy man may be hopeless.
 Distribution of Capital
 "One of the fundamentals for the distribution of wealth and opportun- ity is the proper distribution of cap ital. know how frequently is has happened. especially among us in the South. that banks have in tho past lacked funds they could have