s.

(_b_) Wealth decays unless cared for and preserved. As wealth
increases, the task of protecting and preserving it increases. There
comes a time when production must cease, and all energy will be
required to preserve that already gained. When others preserve and
pay a price for the privilege, as in usury, the vital energy can
continue production, indefinitely.

(_c_) Abolish usury and the instant one ceases to produce he begins to
consume that which he has earned. He can not live upon the increase of
his earnings, but he must begin at once to diminish the supply.
Exacting usury he may consume only the increase and preserve the
principal untouched. He may not consume all the increase and add the
remainder to his capital and thus grow richer in decrepit age. Many of
those who have not inherited wealth, have not been wealthy until
advanced age. It came to them by the accretions of interest after the
productive period of life was past.

(_d_) It is not possible to secure perfect equality of conditions. If
all wealth was equally distributed today differences would begin to
appear tomorrow. This has seemed to some disheartening and they
abandon all hope of correcting the evil. They should look deeper and
promote the natural and God-ordained remedy.

The natural force for the preservation of the level of the ocean is
gravity. But the surface is seldom smooth. The winds lash it into fury
and pile high its waves, but gravity pulling upon every drop of water
tends to draw it back to its place and smooth down the surface again.
The wind cannot build permanently a mountain of water in the ocean.

The consumption and decay of wealth tends unendingly to equalize the
conditions of men. In the wild rush of the struggle for supremacy and
gain, like a whirlwind in the affairs of men, with their diverse gifts
and tastes and plans, there will be inequalities appearing, but
consumption and inevitable decay are ever present leveling powers.
Usury suspends this beneficent law and aggravates the evil, making the
differences in condition permanent and increasing them.

Do away with usury and there is a natural limitation to riches. The
rich will find that he can not grow constantly richer; not because he
is by statute deprived of any personal rights, but he is hindered by
the natural law embedded in things by the Creator.

Do away with usury and the problem of poverty is solved. If we credit
vital energy with the increase of wealth a