Chapter I: Preface

This is not a novel, nor a work of fiction; it is based on the facts of the Eleventh Census and other statistical reports, and on the most reliable authorities on these subjects. This book represents the most essential and fundamental features of the nation’s situation. It shows the reasons why your cities rapidly become the property of a comparatively very few persons; why the American farmers lose their ground, and the urban population lose liberty; and why all become absolutely dependent upon a few multi-millionaires. It exposes the conditions in consequence of which the whole nation becomes a nation of mere tenants of farms and homes, paying rents; and, while the wealth increases, the greatest majority of the people come into desperate struggle not for pleasure, but for simple existence.

In order to impart as much knowledge in regard to the situation of the nation as possible, it was found necessary to supply the readers with a sufficient comparison of statistical facts, pointing to the differences of averages made by different authorities on the subject. This comparison has also been introduced for the purpose of indicating certain truths of special value, and for finding the true bases of reasonably dealing with the most vital problem of the national existence. This problem involving conditions that cause the commonly recognized social unrest of the present time is a problem which grows in intensity.

Recognizing the difficulty in solving the problem and the danger of the situation, we should not wonder, if the very persons who are always inclined to make discounts in established truths, will be profoundly surprised to know from the final conclusions here presented, that the time of discounts has passed away, and that it is now too late to ignore the facts of so serious significance.

If this work should come to be regarded as a general diagnosis of the diseased situation, we may rest assured that there are many thousands of people who will count it their sacred duty to find the proper remedy for curing the disease of the national organism. For it will be seen that the situation is rapidly growing worse every year with the increase of population, and there must be an end to the disease. Surely, if the increase of the national wealth is becoming less than the continual net incomes of the private monopolies, trusts and combinations, it is not difficult to recognize that the situation is already very bad. It is therefore desirable that every one should carefully learn the situation.

THE AUTHOR.

Chicago, April 1, 1900.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES.
Page.

Preliminary: opinions and views 1

Conclusions of Mr. G. K. Holmes, U. S. Census Expert, 5 illustrated by diagrams and Table I

Conclusions of Mr. Thos. G. Shearman 11

Diagrams, Table II, and explanation 12

Conclusions of Dr. C. B. Spahr 18

Diagrams, Table III, and explanation 20

CHAPTER II.
STATISTICS OF WEALTH OWNERS.

Statistics of aggregate wealth 27

Economic classes of families analysed 28

Holders of wealth, tenants and mortgagors 32

Reciprocal comparison of contradictory classes 39

Comparison of the poor and the rich families 42

Right table resulting from comparisons 45

Comparison of families in tables of different authorities: 47 averages of family wealth

Illustrative chart showing worth of individuals 50

CHAPTER III.
THE PROPERTIED AND PROPERTYLESS PEOPLE.

Fundamental difference in number of resources of the propertied 53 and propertyless

Sources of multiple incomes of the wealth owners 54

(Extent of mechanical forces applied to labor in favor of the 57 wealthy)

A propertyless man himself is a source of multiple expenses in 61 favor of the propertied

Primogeniture replaced by dividogenesure, the principle of 70 dividogenesure defined and explained

CHAPTER IV.
ABNORMITY OF THE SOCIAL SITUATION.

Numbers of the people subject to dividogenesure 78

(Percentage of the homeless population in cities and towns and 79 of the landless on farms)

The propertyless a great nation 83

Bread-winners and others in gainful pursuits 89

Productivity of the American people superior 93

The people labor in favor of speculators 95

(Artificial world a witness for justice and rights) 98

Yearly net gains of the natural monopolies 101

Rates of injustice of dividogenesure expressed in daily incomes 103 derived from millions of dependent individuals by the wealthy few

CHAPTER V.
THE MORTGAGOR FAMILIES.

Loss of rights precedes loss of property 110

Statistics of farm and home families in debt 111

Percentages and numbers of families in debt in the United States 116 after 1890: double table

Increase of mortgages on acre-tracts and lots 119

Amounts of indebtedness and life of mortgage 121

Per capita debt and average rate percent on the debt 122

Annual interest charges on debts combined 126

Public and other debts in force after 1890 stated 126

Significance of mortgages: different views 128

Loss of property by foreclosure of mortgages 135