Life — January 17, 1907 — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Concentration of Wealth 'HE loud claims made by plutocrats that everybody is prosperous would seem to be confuted by the figures given in a recent speech by Henry L. Call, before the American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science. Mr. Call said: “ Fifty years ago there were not to exceed fifty mil- lionaires in the whole of the United States, and their combined fortunes—including the half-millionaires as well—did not exceed a probable $100,000,c00, or 1 per cent. of the then aggregate wealth of the nation. Sixteen years ago the combined fortunes of this class were estimated at $36,500,000,000, or 56 per cent. of our national wealth, To-day a bare 1 per cent. of our population owns practically 99 per cent. of the entire wealth of the nation. “As a result of this wealth concentration, indus- trial society is practically divided inté two classes: the enormously rich and the miserably poor; our 18,000,000 wage-earners receive an average of but $400 per year; nine-tenths of our business men are notoriously failures; our clergy receive an average annual salary of about $500; the average fdr the educators of the land is even lower; and the income of other professional men in proportion, while of our 6,000,000 farmers one-third are tenants, and the homes of one-third of the remaining two-thirds are mortgaged, and a debt burden is almost universal. “We are, in fact, a nation of debtors, our public and private mortgage, bond and general indebted- ness alone reaching a probable total of $30,000,000,- or $375 per capita; in other words, an amount equal to 134 times our per capita money circulation, and 22 times our deposits. But the stocks of our industri and public-service corporations are ted to draw dividends, and constitute as truly an indebtedness upon the part of the public to the owners of wealth as do mortgages and bonds themselves; and these, under their pres- ent enormous overcapitalization, would swell our indebtedness to a probable total far in excess of the $110,000,000,000 estimated as the total aggregate wealth of the nation, the whole being a first lien upon the toil and property of the nation, with the power given to these corporations to levy what tax they se thereupon. hese conditions are not normal nor the result of natural law or causation, but are instead the re- sut of a monopoly of land and mineral resources; of moncy, of transportation and other public utilities, Iso of industry. This monopoly has, moreover, been brought about by means of the corporation, industrial, financial and public service. “The corporation, as constituted, is, in fact, a monstrosity in our industrial system.’ vings-ban as “THERE is a custom in French jurisprudence that sanctions the consultation by a judge, in provincial courts, with colleagues on the bench when sentence is to be passed upon certain classes of malefactors. “What ought we to give this rascal, brother?” a judge in the Department of the Loire once asked the colleague on his right. “T should say three years.” “What is your opinion, brother?” This to the colleague on the left. “I should give him four years.” Whereupon the judge, assuming an air of great benevolence, said: “Prisoner, not desiring to impose upon you a long and severe term of imprisonment, as I should ve done if left to myself, I have consulted my arned brethren and shall take their advice. Seven years.” —Argonaut, More : Solar Lamps and Generators are used all the time than ALL other kinds some of the time @ Just compare any part, from the hinge on the door to the reflector on lens, with a like part of any other make and you will understand the reason for this. QThey really are the bes built and made by the oldest and largest p and generator makers in the world. Sounds big? Perhaps; but it's honest —like the quality. GA careful comparison of Solars with all others will insure Lamp Satisfaction to you and the order to BADGER BRASS MANUFACTURING CO. KENOSHA, WIS. EASTERN BRANCH: 11TH AVE. 36TH AND 37TH STREETS NEW YORK CITY The Sensitive Indicating Arrow of the Junes Speedometer responds to every change of speed. The tendency of many indicators is to “drag” from one speed to another, and seldom indicate accurately. This error was very much in evidence in the A.C.G.B. &.speed- indicating contest. The : Jones Speedometer oO ckimping ~ N of the best h old-world hand pro- cesses. Only purest juices used. COORS Ghampagne The standard wine of America. was the only instrument in the trials to score an absolutely perfect record. at the Garden Show Jan. 12th to 19th, 1907, Jones Speedometer 104 W.-32d St. New York Life’s Pictures Are you fumishing a House or Decorating a Room? are Have you wall spaces or spots Particularly which you wish to make artistically Appropriate effective at small cost? “A dainty catalogue showing in miniature reproductions many of Life’s Prints will be sent to any address upon request. sof LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 17 West 31st St, NEW YORK 119 comicbooks.com