Page:The fallacy of danger from great wealth.djvu/13

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FROM GREAT WEALTH
7

The possessor of wealth (rich or poor) has the legal title to it; and he gets his living—that is, his food, clothing, and shelter—and such other necessaries or luxuries as he can use. He gets nothing more. And all these he leaves in a few short years after he has acquired them. He spends hard days and sleepless nights, perhaps. Many a poor man has what are to him far more pleasures and better health. Every man to his taste. What is happiness? Is wealth? Do the socialists really think so? If they do, then why not struggle for it like brave men instead of whining like cowards? And, if they do not think so, why do they find fault with men of different tastes who do struggle and obtain wealth? The socialists seem to make a lot of fuss over a thing which they think nobody (themselves included) ought to wish for.

People talk about the "danger" of great wealth. It seems to be always "danger," "danger," but no specification of any definite thing. The danger from great wealth is purely imaginary. The real danger is that men may not save their money so as to have great wealth, and thus have a great fund for investment and wages. Natural economic