MONEY-MAKING AND MONEYTAKING.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 69, 5 July 1912, Page 4

MONEY-MAKING AND MONEYTAKING.

I like that Chinese proverb, "Man knows, but woman knows better." This is very true, but may one be permitted to say, ''Not always." i'or instance, there is a book or paper with tho naino "The Business Philosopher." In this Dr. Katherine Blackford writes as follows: "The stupid man docs not acquire great wealth. Ho cannot, for he lacks intelligence." The same day I road that J. J. Astor had left his son £30,000,000. If young Astor began to spend this he could spend £120 every hour of his life, sleeping and waking. Remember! £120 every hour of the iM, and do it for 30 .years, and his father could not guarantee that his son would not be stupid. If young Astor were Jiffy times »b stupid as he, now is he would still have that 30 millions. Dr. Katherine, a man may bo verystupid and yet acquire great wealth. For instance a certain English Earl is the life owner of certain coalmines. Some years ago ho leased those coalmines to a company. Ho receives a royalty of 6d. per ton on every ton of coal got up. Sometimes this means an income of £80,000 a year. A miner with 30s. a week in one of these mines, working 50 weeks every year, would receive £75 a year for his wages. If he worked full time for 1000 years he would receive £75,000. This is for working. The Earl never works, and gets £80,000 a year. If the Earl's son be an idiot, he also willreceive £80,000 a year. No, Mistress Dr. Katherine, you are mistaken. If a man selects his father properly, he may lack intelligence and still acquire great wealth. The coalminer's son might have more intelligence than the Earl's son, but he would get, like his father, 30s. a week or an hour, and tho Earl's son £1538 a week or £34 an hour. This is reckoning a 48 hours' week. There may be a lack of intelligence on tho part of the working men who allow the idler to have £34 an hour for doing nothing and the miner 7-J-d. an hour for doing the work, but it is not natural incapacity—it is lack of education. Thanks to the Socialist speakers and writers tho workers are getting to understand. People at £34 an hour who arc no use whatever and useful people at 7Jd. an hour is absurd! Tho workers have the remedy—unity. i do hope that Dr. Ivathcrino will go on writing. She says: "There arc various ways of making money—some honorable, some dishonorable." Thanks, Mistress Katherine. Of all the ways of taking—-not making— money, idling is tho worst. When the workers wake up th» day of the idlers is ended.