Page:The fallacy of danger from great wealth.djvu/18

12 that there was danger that they would thus lock up all the wealth of the world, and what would the poor do then? Most of the fear of great wealth has as senseless a foundation as that. The truth is that the wealth of the rich has been paid out, invested in business where it is fixed, and could not be taken back by the owner. He could sell it and transfer it to some one else, yes. But how could the wealth put into railroads or factories or machines be taken back by the man who has invested his money in them? The railroads, factories, etc., must continue to exist and benefit workmen and society long after the men who have created them have passed away.

A small part of the wealth of the rich is deposited in banks. But this is not "idle," hoarded money, as some would have us suppose. One might think, to read or hear some statements, that the "deposits" in a bank are money on hand in the bank. Far from it: the "deposits" are what the bank owes to its depositors. It is a pity the words "due to depositors" were not always used instead of "deposits," for it would save some erroneous thinking. The bank has loaned out about 75 per cent. of the "deposits" of its depositors,