Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 50424-h.htm or 50424-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50424/50424-h/50424-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/50424/50424-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/cu31924002741357 Transcriber’s note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). Additional notes are at the end of the book. THE IMPENDING CRISIS Conditions Resulting from the Concentration of Wealth in the United States. by BASIL A. BOUROFF, Graduate Student of the University of Chicago. Publishers, Midway Press Committee, Chicago. 1900. Copyright, 1900, by Midway Press Committee. PREFACE. This is not a novel, nor a work of fiction; it is based on the facts of the Eleventh Census and other statistical reports, and on the most reliable authorities on these subjects. This book represents the most essential and fundamental features of the nation’s situation. It shows the reasons why your cities rapidly become the property of a comparatively very few persons; why the American farmers lose their ground, and the urban population lose liberty; and why all become absolutely dependent upon a few multi-millionaires. It exposes the conditions in consequence of which the whole nation becomes a nation of mere tenants of farms and homes, paying rents; and, while the wealth increases, the greatest majority of the people come into desperate struggle not for pleasure, but for simple existence. In order to impart as much knowledge in regard to the situation of the nation as possible, it was found necessary to supply the readers with a sufficient comparison of statistical facts, pointing to the differences of averages made by different authorities on the subject. This comparison has also been introduced for the purpose of indicating certain truths of special value, and for finding the true bases of reasonably dealing with the most vital problem of the national existence. This problem involving conditions that cause the commonly recognized social unrest of the present time is a problem which grows in intensity. Recognizing the difficulty in solving the problem and the danger of the situation, we should not wonder, if the very persons who are always inclined to make discounts in established truths, will be profoundly surprised to know from the final conclusions here presented, that the time of discounts has passed away, and that it is now too late to ignore the facts of so serious significance.