The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-01-29
FROM NEW YORK.

NEW YORK, Dec. 3Oth, 1869.
70 the Editor the WoRKIEsnASs ADVOCATE.
In concluding my series of letters in
the ADVOCATE, it is necessary to say
but few words. A more equal distri-
button of wealth in society is one of the
things which | have limited at in my
letters. in former letter remarked
that in this country a man would be
justified in accommodating as much as
81 900 Tor $4,000, because that is
about the average Of the property in
the country-divided among the male
heads of its families. That limit, it
seems to me, should not be so much ex-
coeded. Yet, to suit the different
tastes for money-making. reasonable
variation from It might be allowed. If
we say no person is to have less than
500, and no person over $4,000, we
should allow a range of from one to
fifty. More range than this, to theOrize
on it, seems "a me, woald be unreason-
able-for no man, it further seems to
me, SHOULD desire to be more than
fifty times AS great, in pc 'uniary, or
any other, point Of view, as another.
1t was the suggestion Of an able
English eSs ,yiSt, Jonathan Dymond,
who died in 1923, at the age Of 81 years,
that probate # will for all amount
exceeding a certain sum might be
denied. He lays in Essay Sd, chapter
o, ON Moral Legislation, Of 50
great i'll consequence is excessive
wealth, and the effect to which it tends,
excessive poverty, that a government
might perhaps rightly discountenance
the accumulation of extreme personal
property. Probably there is no means
Of doing this, without an improper en-
croachment upon liberty, except by
some regulations respecting wills. l
perceive nothing either unreasonable or
unjust in refusing q probate for an
amount exceeding a certain sum-"
1t is incidental to this subject to re-
mark that 4. III. Haywood ESQ.,, Pre-
sident Of the Labor Reform League in
Massachusetts,, in a speech before that
League, in,I believe 1868, proposes, for
statute, the" making the partnership
Of labor a fundamental condition in all
charters to do business in (that) State"
All this must be done, if it is done,
by intelligent wOrkingmen's ties. Mr..
Haywood says elsewhere in IS speech.
" But we are agreed in this; that every
voter shall leave his old party creed
outside the door when he enters the
League" This is necessary ii it is
meant that the questions of currency
and interest shall be settled more favor
ably to the workingman.
Surprising this all to be visionary
however-which do not admit-the
workingmen need not despond. They
have il in their rover, unltedly and
singly, to do all they want in labor re-
forms, and for procuring to themselves
and their children happiness. The
leaders in society cannot compel them
to believe their musty superstitions.
They cannot compel them to serve in
their wars. They cannot help their
furnishing an education to their chill
dren, and living happily in their
families. So there is much to hope for
in any case.
We have a debt to pay Capital,
should be taxed to pay it
but as the wOrkingmen voluntarily /
went to the war, the workingmen will
have to pay it. But 1t is wise people,
let me say, whose memory of the evils
of debt is long enough to teach it, when
once damaging debt is paid. not to
incur another.
A SEEKER AFTER Truth.
(To RI ooST1NuED.)