LAND MONOPOLY. 649 



between the rich and poor, or that tends to create extremes 

 of wealth and poverty, will as surely root out political 

 democracy, and establish such form of government as will 

 enable those who are socially exalted to become and 

 remain politically exalted above their fellows. Aristoc- 

 racy of power goes hand in hand with aristocracy of 

 wealth. They are inseparable. Men who will not mingle 

 with poverty in the social circle, will soon disdain to sit in 

 the councils of publicans and sinners. Men who resort to 

 plush, powder and liveried servants to distinguish them- 

 selves from common mortals, will soon yearn for the titles 

 of honor and armorial bearings of genuine royalty.'' 



During the early existence of our government we had 

 no extremes of wealth and poverty. We had neither 

 millionaires or tramps. In 1842 Charles Dickens came 

 from England to visit America. He wrote back from 

 Boston to his friends in London: 



u Th ere is not a man in this town, nor in this State, 

 who has not a blazing fire, and meat for dinner every day 

 in the year, nor would a flaming sword in the air attract so 

 much attention as a beggar in the streets." 



Then there were no castes or distinctions in society; 

 no pomp and splendor to dazzle the eyes of the beholder. 

 Democratic, socially, a republican form of government was 

 natural, and rested equally and easily upon the shoulders 

 of society. c ' Davy' ' Crockett, the bear hunter of Tenn- 

 essee, was feted by the best society of Washington; and 

 Henry Clay, the "mill boy of the slashes," was one of the 

 first men of the nation. But a great change has taken 

 place. A London journal recently declared that " there 

 is not at this moment so wide a gulf between the rich and 

 poor as in the United States," and adds, "there are as 

 many beggars in each of the great American cities as there 

 ever were of mendicants assembled about the steps of 

 Roman churches." This journal then contrasts the col- 



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