Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1910. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9697, 5 March 1910, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1910. EDITORIAL NOTES.

of the world have decreased In num. ber. to this subject a contemporary remarks:—"Gar wool producers have not much oanse for apprehension as regards the fntnre, bnt may look forward with confidence to a continuance of satisfactory prices, withont much danger of any prospective slamp. 'On the price of wool depends, in a great; measure, whether tlmeß shall be doll or prosperous in Australasia, and it ia interesting to note, by a comparison of the Home reviews of the wool trade, that the past year has been a record one for wool users. The year 1908 was one of disaster to many, but 1909 has gone a good long way cowards making the losses good. This is good news for wool-growers, because it is essential to the sucoess of the wool industry that the manufacturers should be able to drive a prosperous trade. The most satisfactory feature is that machinery at Home is at present well occupied, and stocks "aro nowhere accumulating in large quantities. The wool grower, however, cares very little for annual reviews. His thoughts will naturally always centre on the future, and there is unanimity among the Old World authorities about the brightness of the prospeots for the coming year. Growers are assured th&t there is every indication of a continuance of high prices. One leading authority clearly sums np the position by stating that, unless there is to be a vastly increased production of wool from unknown parts of the globe, or some really efficient and cheap substitutes for wool can be foand in large quantities, it appears that, except In years of distress in trade or finance, there will never be too muoh wool to go round. Analysing this statement, we have to oonsider what are the pMspßcts of cheap substitutes for wool being disoovered. Despite the highly glowing accounts of various discoveries, It is not at all I probable that anything will take the place of wool for oloehing. On the other hand, we may expect that there will be a big development in countries which are now only beginning to appreciate tha many advantages, both to health and comfort, derivable from woollen wear. There is, remarks our Australian contemporary, absolutely no fear of wool being prodnoed in such quantities as to bring clown the price, while the present development continues, and the statistical position was never more sound than it is to-day. The wool trade is proverbially full of surprises, bnt there is nothing on the horizon to-day that gives any oause for fear. We may, on the other hand, expect in all probability a year of oontinued progress, with good trade all through. In faofc, high as wool prices are to-day. there ia more probability of an upward movement than a downward one.

AN houesfe Oanadian politician has resigned Ministerial position because he believes hia colleagues allowed themselves to berbeaten by a nombination of financiers. These financiers app?.ar to have used their capital to secure absolute oontrol of ths carrying services in Alberta—the waterways as well as the railways—so that they may confidently expect to dear great profit at the expense and to the detriment of all the people and all the industries. By means of possessing these faoilitiea they take toll from all, and divert a large proportion of the profits of producers into their own pockets. In terming ghem "financial sharks" Mr Gushing is probably not very wide of the mark. There should be legislation passed in every country to prevent any man or body of men frosn secur - Ing absolute control of public services or natural Resources. There are plenty of ways in which capital can be profitably and beneficially employed in industrial work, bat when it is used to fleece producers and plunder the people, its possessors are enemies of the State. They almost invariably abnse the power it gives them, and their operations are more injurious than wonld be invasion by armed foroe. The latter oould be fought and possibly be driven out by a combined people, but the individual has no chance in a conflict with capital when the latter holds the means of .compelling subjection. ,

IT is interesting to note that with the cable news referred to oame other items shcwiug that the amassing of money haß not utterly demoralised in some cases, and may benefit Iramaiity in another. In the one *nstanoe a man said that as he "has now made his pile he intends to enjoy it"—a sensible resolution which is not usually adopted by those who have beoome moneygrubbers. In two other instances millionaires are retiring satisfied, as perhapß they well may be, seeing that one has Hour millions, and the other is a millionaire. As a rule the millionaire works harder than ever to get more millions, and, like a miser, is never satisfied, the main difference being that while the one hoards, the other, like Shylook, delights in seeing hia ducats breed. Though the millionaire very frequently in youth felt the pinch of poverty, and knows how ..little is really required to give comfort, old age does notjead him to reflect that he has more than he wants. He has lost contentment and developed covetousness, and that, aftsr all, is no gain to the individual.

IN the case of the Rockefeller millions it the money will

be devoted to the use of humanity and"3tHe"~xelief of suffering, aDd "Standard oil" and its saoessfnl exploitation may give general benefit. Sri that of this financial Samson it may be said in the words of the riddle of the strong roan of old "Oat of the eater osms forth meat, and out of the strong oame forth sweetness." Possibly also the statement that he is seeking a method of disposing of his vast fortune for the benefit of mankind may cause the Philistines to revile him lees, and the cynical to cease alleging that millionaires should dispose of their money b3fo?e they dia aa thsy cannot Sake it to a place where it would melt.