THE INVASION OF THE "MULTIS."

NZ Truth, Issue 112, 10 August 1907, Page 7

THE INVASION OF THE "MULTIS."

Gamblers m the Necessaries of Life. (By "Northumbrian" m "Reynolds' Newspaper.")

" 'The Muiiis; have come -back to us from America. They overrun the West-end hot-els, and every, incoming liner brings fresh arrivals.,"— Dadly papier. . * A student of the English language v/ho di-d not know its hastily-coined modern idioms, might, on reading this paragraph, think that the country had been invaded by a new kind of Lept'doptsra celeoptera, or other kind of insect, to its great danger. A stranger, might, well be excused such a mistake if he had read that some time ago the Colorado beetle came over here from 'America and began eating up the; farmers' potato crops. "The multi," however, has but one claim to the insect tribe. He belongs to the great family of Hemiptera, which embraces "bugs" and other creatures which thrive and fatten on the bodies of the 'human race. He was formerly called indiscriminately "MILLIONAIRE" OR "MONEY BUG," but he grew so fat that he passed the millionaire stage, and became a rnuHi-tfnillionairo— hence,, "a multi." In his own country he is so common that he does not get the worship he craves, so m his restless desire for change and admiration he flocks with his fellows over here. Anyone with money can always get on here, for from' the highest to ■ the lowest we worship the "calf of gold," and dance round his pedestal. This pleases the "multi," and he comes amongst us irvery year. WHAT THE "MULTI:' DOESThe "multi" makes his millions by jrathering up, each m his different way, everything that the people refjuire for their daily needs— food, coal, Iron, oil, or anything which has an exchange upon which to gamble and play up prices. Looking round, we have the President of the Steel Trust, who, m tha fashion, has married an actress. A telegram from A.merica, »l few days ago, describing the wediHne feast, said, the cost of each g-uest was £32 for an hour's fun. The Steel Trust is a body to make that necessary commodity, (tear; and to '-'jpegu-.

late" to alow level tlie wages of the workers! This gentleman is to spend £40,000 on -his wedding tour. Another notable, "multi" is Mr Rogers, the head' of the Standard Oil Trust, said to he the wealthiest man m the States. The American Oil Trusts generally have literally amassed millions, and their work is recorded in -our Coroners' courts, not only m London, but all over the country. Other two "multis" represent copper and yeast, <both of which commodities have been cornered. Yeast seems to be a curious thing out of which to make millions. But the" secret is that it is one of the things, like oil, meat, and -grain, that the people must have. Anything that the people must have, especially m the way of food, is game for the American speculator. GAMBLING IN THE PEOPLE'S FOOD. The latest effort of the selfish mon-ey-grubbing Yankee, m his mad rush to @et wealth, and get it quickly, is brought to the mind of English people very forcibly, but very sadly— especially to the working-classes, the unemployed and the very poor — during the present week, by the rise m the price of the first necessity of life— bread. In the course of three weeks wheat has advanced 5s per sack, and m many parts of the country the quartern loaf will be one half-penny dearer this week. Retail flour prices have risen m the northern manufacturing centres from Id. to 2d. per stone. It is expected that a further increase m flour will be made. Now, if this arose from some famine m the land, or a failure of the home crops, such as used to appertain m the wretched! Corn Law days, it might be explicable, and we should only have to lament the cruel vagaries of nature. But it arises from nothing] of the sort. It is simply the resulft of WICKED THIEVING, GAMBLING, and speculating m wheat. It comes from one of those commercial volcanoes which occur m America now and again,, out pi which emerges #.

new millionaire ; and the ashes represent the singed and burnt people whose money has fashioned and furnished the latest "multi." .Lout this time of year, with the wheat blades springing from the fertile soil, it is possible to estimate the probable crop, and whether there will he a shortage or a surplus. If there is the slightest possibility of the latter, the game begins an<l hell breaks loose on the Yankee wheat exchanges. Men with money, or who can borrow it, buy up every bit of corn they can get, and buy not only existing crops, but prospective crops. The scenes that take, place day after day m this devil's struggle for GOLD BEGGARS DESCRIPTION. Here, however, is a sample not a whit too highly colored : — ' 'At Ohica'go the, brokers were wheat crazy. Every firm made frantic efforts to buy vheat. One house employed 30 brokei a- to purchase every bushel available. Many firms dealt m millions of bushels at a time. When the price reached 4s. the Chicago wheat pit was filled with shrieking, dishevelled men, who discarded hats and coats, and even waistcoats, m their frenzy. Several brokers emerged from the fracas with their doit/h---ing torn to shreds." This is the way m which the people's food is dealt with. The idea is to get hold of and "corner" not only the food existent, but that which is to come, so that the holders can sell it out, a nd at th^ir pwj!i v ptice, and at their own time, V&i^k&ap untold wealth. The farmers|wjjio ©row the corn get but little M^|sttage m the long run. The peApft who have to pay, however, arf ifibfe p£or wretched workers, who have; toVfyuy- at the gambler's" price, and/tlJpsiijN]£ho have to go without are 'thdt poor who starve. Such scenes as these are an offen.ee m the sight of Heaven, and a DISGRACE TO THE LAWS of the country which boasts of its civilisation and freedom. We have no particular cause to welcome the advent of the "multi." He is a Hemiptera of modern growth, whose presence or existence bodes no good to anyone. His wealth, is accumulated by gambling, by scheming, by legalised corruption m many forms. He is not a producer or a worker m the sense of manual or useful Jabor. His presence m the world is no more necessary or useful than a locust's. He simply lives by depriving other people. He is a huge indraught fan sucking m gold, blood, and tffe. The v surprise to me is that America allows him a legal existence. The day will co.me when the people will shout aloud for laws which will make the "multi" a thing impossible, and which will enable the yield of the earth m every form to reach the masses free ami untouched by the imp*osition of the gambler's hand.