The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-09-30
The Value of a Man.

What has DAVID A. WELLS been worth
TO this country? 1t would be hard to tell.
But one thing is certain, that the United
States could well have exchanged a few
score of congressman for one such man.
He has done more to bring about finan-
clal education, revenue REFORM and bust
ness prosperity than can be easily esti-
mated
When commission to investigate the
revenue question, consisting of WELLS,
CoLWELL and HAYES, was first appointed
the system Of taxation in this country
was perhaps the most marvellous miracle
OF blundering ever known on earth
Not only was everything taxed-perhapsI
that was unavoidable then-but the same
article was taxed so often that neither
congressman, producer, nor consumer
knew how much revenue 1t had to pay
With one hand we protected against for
eign importation, and with the other
made home manufacture impossible The
number of the Kilkenny-cat taxes, mutu-
ally annihilating each other, no man can
guess AS single sample it may be
mentioned that we tried to "protect )"
American book publishers, and then load
ed them with such internal revenue bur
dens that Webster's spelling books were
actually printed in London for the use of
American schools, We tried to protect
rope manufacture, and then made hemp
and its manufacture so costly that rope
making was actually driven out of the
country. But everybody remembers
those dark days of lndiscriminate taxa
ton, which the good people bore only be-.
cause the very existence of the nation de-
pended upon the revenue. It seems a
century ago, but light only began to break
in upon this mass OF blunders when the
report of 1866 was published.
From that day to this the recommended
tions Of the commissioning Mr.WELLs
soon became sole Special Commissioner
on the revenue-have led to very great
changes Not always have his cogent
reasons and pow erful batteries sufficed. to
break through the obstinate plumbers of
legislation, but by steady and patient labor
he has fairly reused both Congress and
the people to know something about the
matter. Year after year enormous evils
were removed, great cXcrescences were
swept away, ana Il large share Of the bur
dens which oppressed industry were lift
ed eff without undu}y curtailing the reve
nue.. That these reforms have been eff
fected without financial convulsion, and
without national bankruptcy, is due in
very large measure to the persistent study
and labor of one man.
In his earliest reports Mr.. WELLS
taught that domestic taxes neutralized
duties on importations. Strange that it
required anybody to teach a truth SO evil
dent Thus all horne interests were en-
listed to secure a removal of domestic
taxes upon industry, because it was equiv
client to an increase Of protective duty.
One by one these taxes were swept away
and to-day we are left with system of
excuses which does not touch any consid-
erble branch of induQtry During all
this time when his labors were building
up industries, which have. behind them
enormous capital, Mr.. WELLS was lauded
to the skies he was the wisest and best
and most patriotic of mem; and al. the
organs of protection ceaselessiy sung his
praises.
But now he brings forward his second
laW-that eXtrvagant or too widely dis
tributed duties on foreign importations
also neutraiize protection by increasing
the cost OF production. A truth Just as
clear as the first, only it happens to touch
the great monopolies! Instantly there is
a great cutlery against him. and all the
tariff organs denounce and Willy him.
and the New York Tribune even stoops
to assert that he has been bribcd with
British gold A thousand times more
likely that somebody has been bribed by
American monOpolies.
Nevertheless, the people read, and
thinking men carefully study these re-
ports, and the latest like its predecessors,
will soon have its effectupon legislation.
The people all over the country are begin
ing to think of these questions for them
selves. 1t no longer answers to tell them
that some faYorite leader says a thingand
therefore it must be so. They recognize
the fact that man may have been a
splendid leader of anti-slavery reform
and glorious champion of loyal recon
struction, and yet know nothing Of indus
trial or financial problems We need
look no further back than THADDEUs STE
VEINS for on example. AS people, study
for themselves, they find that Nj. WELLS
has declared with truth that the removal
of domestic taxes has gradually increased
protective duties that in spite of this
the protected people complain that forty
per cent. tariff is too light, and that those
who complain the loudest are those who
have the most profitable monopoly. By
the next session OF Congress we shall
see a powerful influence at work to Sc
cure a revision and reduction Of the tariff
to q more reasonable standard. And if
that effort fails, a quiet student, without
political aspirations or experience, will
find himself leader of the people, eth
er to reform an old party or to build a
new one.-.St. Louis Democrat.
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