Smyrna times., 1921-10-19
A TALK ABOUT "MONEY"
The Difference Between the Rental
Value and the Earning Power

Benjamin Franklin says, "Money
makes money, and the money that
money makes, makes more money"
Satan got into Eden. The exploiter
got into finance and industry. Misery
resulted in both instances.
One or our keenest experts has said
l don't believe it is putting it too
strongly to say that ninety per cent
of the American people are only a
year from the poor house and fifty
per cent of them are only week away
from it. Roughly speaking, ninety
five per cent of the population die
poor and five per cent die ricn.
Against this, observe that the United
States, as whole, has progressed
mavously, the national wealth being
in 1850, S7,195, 100000 and in 1915
(estimated) $187, 1901, ,O9O.
Now if we investigate, and individ-
ualize this nation as a great mother
with some hundred million children, a
striking fact will come to our notice
there has been an unjust favoritism in
the distribution of the comforts of
life. Ninety-five million have little,
five million have a great deal, many
are very rich. How is it that the
wealth created by all the people is,
day by day, passing into the hands of
the few? The trouble is the great
majority of people dc not understand
the difference between the earning
power of money and the rental value.
The rent paid is much less than the
earning power. Very often the true
earning power is many times greater
than the rental. 1t is evident that if
| wish to grow rich fast | must get
the full earning power by engaging
in business myself, or with q partner
or as one Of a, corporation, which is
becoming quite or the most common. 1t
gives the man of small or large means
an opportunity to share in the assets
and profits. The hireling is not PAID
as much as the man who employs him
Fortunes are made by investment, let.
ting your money earn to the limit.
Did it ever occur to you that money
rents, like house rent, only it is called
by different name, interest, living
costs are mounting. This makes tn,
purchasing power lower while rentals
are the same. 1t is evident that tn,
people should understand the invest
ment value of money and plant thei
earning in productive industries lik
the men who make fortunes. Put, a
it were, overalls on your dollars, ente
the ranks of capitalists and get th
full value of your dollar. Did yo,
ever think seriously of how rich an,
influential men get the timid dollar
of the people for pittance and real
enormous profits-they are called cap
italists. Now the dictionary says
capitalist is person who supple
capital. Mr. Will Irwin, in the Satur
day Evening Post, observes the die
tiOnaires are wrong. "a capitalist is
person who gets other people to sup
ply the money while he controls tn
enterprise and secures a large shar
of the profits" Great borrowers o
\ the peoples money have laid much o.
safety, teaching by their propagand
\ that a man of limited means shoul
never invest, always lend. Our mag
I azines and newspapers preach it da
in and day out, till the people believ
it is their duty to skimp and hoart
l never understanding where their dol
\ lars go.
When will the day arrive? Whe
will the new era dawn? When vii
I the people learn that investing is tn
way of wealth for all, not for the fey
as now is the case? Let us think, an
think seriously of the earning powe
and rental value of money.
1t would be we'll if we would ponde
the words of Lincoln as he wroteNoN
21, 1864: 81 see in the future crisi
approaching that unnerves me an