Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-02-19
stick a PIN Here,

1t will be remembered that Mr..
Smith, of Ohio, introduced last week
into the House of Representatives, at
washington, resolution declaring the
power Of Congress to regulate Inter.
state transportation By rail a. well as
oy other methods, and that il was the
duty of Congress to apply this power
this session to prevent unreasonable
charges. This resolution passed and
received l70 votes for it, and GA agains,
it, Nearly every Republican in the
House. voted for it, and nearly every
Democrat in the House voted agains
IL. The vote was a square stand mn
and endorsement OF the constitutional
power of Congress, ana the duty TO
exercise it now, by the Repubiicans
almost as unity, and an almost nnan.
imous fiat denial of the power, by the
Democrats.
Yet, democracy cali the Republi.
cans, Monopolists, and assume that
they are the Anti-monopolists. They
are as usual trying to pass OF their
base coin for genuine. Republicans
who have supposed that they may ex .
pect reform from Democrats in this
particular, will please take notice.
WE notice that Senator West, Of
Henry county. introduced into the
Senate, at Des MONIES, on the 18th
inst, resolution instructing Iowa
Congressman to favor law giving
l6o acres of land to each soldier of our
army in the rebellion. 1t passed, as
we learn, with but four dissenting
votes. We have repeatedly taken
ground against such measure, and,
though such unanimity prevailed in
the Senate on its passage, we still can.
not give In our adhesion to it. We do
this, though it may not be the popular
side with the soldiers. The resolution
Itself, has not come under our obser.
walton, but we understand II to be ON
the bounty warrant plan, or some
other method by which soldiers can
sell and transfer their right to the
land. Our objection is that the lands
by sale and transfer of warrants, viii
get into the hands of spectators, ct
nominal prices, which is an evil that
should by every possible means be
avoided. We will not object to any
reasonable bounties being given to
soldiers. As people, we can never
pay them too much, but we would pre-
fer to avoid tho shaving of their land
warrants, or the selling of their lands
at reduced prices, which spectators
will buy them at. We prefer that the
government sell the lands and give the
soldiers the money. The soldiers will
like this method much better, for
then those who want lands can buy
them with the money, or take home
stead as anybody else does, and have
the money to help improve them, and
those who do not want the land, and
who would cell it at reduced figures
Il they had it, to SPECTATORS, can use
the money in such manner ~ they
may like. tits Of the utmost import
ance to avoid the shaving of soldiers'
land bolnties and the lodging of the
public lands in the hands of specula-
tors.
The Hon. VIM. Longhridge, our
member of Congress from this District
made a speech that has the clear ring
to it in the House on the 3lst Of
January on the subject of retrench-
mcnt and reform. We publish the
following extract from IL:
Taxation is necessary to support
governments. and the people cannot
avoid it; but excessive taxation is 1
great calamity to q people-one Of the
greatest that can befall any country.
1t binds gricvous burdens upon labor;
discourages the labOring classes, con.
signing them to lives of, hopeless and
lily requited toll; cripples industries;
and paralyzes the energies Of the
nation.
The burdens of taxation are felt
more severely by the laporing classes
than by the wealthy, for 1t IS doubtlese
true that in the end the tax is mostly
paid by the producer. The great mass
of the people Of this country live by
their own labor. The number of those
who have incomes to support them.
independently OF their daily labor, il
small compared with those who are
dependent upon their daily labor for
subsistence; and it is the duty of q
government to guard well the interests
and the rights Of labor, and, above all
other things, to protect it against ex-
cessivc taxation, for there is no doubt
of the truth of the statement that the
capital, the aggregated wealth of the
country, can better endure the burdens
of additional taxation than can the
labor of the country. And, in behalf
of the interests Of all the people, OF all
classes, ! insist that there shall be no
increase OF taxation.
There is in my mind no doubt Of
the fact that the present revenues of
the Government are more than Is
AoooSsnAs AVA tAO euPpVs ~ ZIG NEUv~
ernment conducted with & proper
degree of economy. apprehend, sir,
that the principles which apply to
men in the management Of private
business apply equally to the manage
ment of the financial affairs Of gov.
ernment; and one of the well-under-
stood maxims Of business, recognized
as true the world over, Is, that aecono-
my il. absolutely necessary to financial
success and prosperity" A man must
spend less than he makes. Franklin
said, off y0u know how to spend less
than you get you have the philosO.
piers stone" Cicero said, ECONOMY
is itself a great revenue" And the
experience and observation of every
gentleman upon this door will add to
the testimony of the truth of this
maxim. The want OF economy has
made wreck Of many . private fortune
and the want oft will as surely bank
rupt nation.
And IN view Of this necessity, speak
ing for myself, animated by sense Of
duty to the country, my motto and
watchword shall be "lsetrenchment
aud reform" I have enlisted under