Finally, as long as the concentration of wealth in the private monopolies, trusts and combinations not only absorbs all the yearly increase of wealth produced by the nation, but absorbs the wealth formerly [SN: IT IS A QUESTION OF TIME ONLY.] owned by the people, it does not make a difference whether these combinations raise or lower the high prices of utilities which they speculate in upon the market, the whole wealth and the entire rights for wealth must sooner or later be concentrated in the hands of a very few families, because all the means of concentration are within their hands. Consequently, it is not a question whether these all pervading combinations are beneficent or malificent in their character, as in either case they work out the same evil result. But the question is only a question of time: how long before the people with all their superior productivity and phenomenal increase of wealth will have neither wealth nor property, nor rights, nor sufficient means for existence? How long before they all shall in all details be absolutely dependent upon the very few speculators, whose unbounded fortunes the tens of millions of workers are constantly compelled to increase? See Appendix II. Again, this concentration of wealth can neither be hindered by raising the prices of the raw materials and products, nor even by the [SN: REFORM IS NECESSARY.] raising of wages, nor by lowering the prices of consumable utilities, nor by lowering the present rents, because the rate of concentration of wealth now surpasses all degrees of change which may be effected by such regulation, while the net profits from the nation’s energy and labor are ultimately derived only by the few, who are becoming fewer. The millions of individuals must therefore free themselves from the delusive hopes of some day becoming rich; for the strong tendency, as we have seen, is to deprive [SN: VAIN HOPES OF THE PEOPLE.] every one of his proper food and of the satisfaction of other increasing needs. In order to become free from the economic bondage and slavery of dividogenesure, it is necessary that the distribution of wealth should be made to bring about more equal results, and that the present means of the concentration of wealth should work in favor of all the people engaged in the numerous spheres of human activity. See Appendix III. And it is again to be hoped that the present parents in the United States would in nowise hesitate to provide some better conditions of life for their children in the far and near future. APPENDIX. I. Percentages and numbers of families in the United States in 1890, under owned and rented homes and farms, were represented by Dr. C. B. Spahr as follows: [Families Identified with Farms and Homes.]