The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-12-17
RANDOM THOUGHTS.
BY THE EDITOR.

In passing Sternberger's Corner on
Monday morning saw four or five men
standing on the pavement. One of them
told me to urge the railroad matter, so
they could get work. God knows my
anxiety that every man who is able and
willing to work, should be able to get all
the work he can do, and receive therefor
a liberal remuneration. The question is,
how shall this end be accomplished. l
have my plan, which 1 am perfectly sure
would be the best mode; but l have no
faith that it will ever be carried out for
any considerable length of time. l will
explain it as briefly as l can this week,
and elaborate more fully hereafter.
When God first put man upon the
earth He gave the land to him and told
him to occupy it, His design evidently
was, that all men who should ever dwell
upon the earth should be entitled to a
home. There always has been, and ever
will be, wealth enough on the earth, if
equally distributed, to render every hui
man being comfortable, But the capaci-
|
will be very wealthy, and the vast ma
jority very poor. 1t weuld not be right
to divide and equalize the property, even
at long stated periods. This would deter
men of capacity from accumulating prop
erty. If their hard earnings were to be
taken from them and given to the lazy
and prohigate, it would check the accu
mutation of property, and only make the
idle still more worthless. But tax the
property of the country and put the pro
ceeds into public improvements, and you
would build up the general prosperity o
the country. gradually equalize the prop
erty, and give work to all.
Let me make my plan more definite
And first, 1 will state that my plan wa:
carried out by the Republican party fol
several years subsequent to the war
when the Government gave the public
lands, and the bonds of the Government
to build great railroads across the cont
nent. These roads gave employment fo
a series of years to all the surplus labo
of the country, and opened up new re
gions to the farmer, the miner, the mar
ufacturer, and in fact to every industry
But the day of the demagogue had full
come, and the senseless cry of "railroa
:, monopoly" and giving away the publ
: lands" prevailed, and the self-constitute
leaders of the party in power being GOV
ards, gave way, and ali the great ente
prises of the country stopped. No
l. there is stagnation, want, distress, a
t over the country. There is more Healt
e in the country to-day than there was tw
O years ago, but it is inactive. There hi
" been no visitation of Providence, +
/. failure of crops, no pestilence, war,
,f other calamity. During the eight yea
d subsequent to the war, no country ev'
saw such prosperity and advancement
t was witnessed in our country. Can ii
10 same state of affairs be restored2
s. doubt about it. Let the General Go
If ernment at once resume the constructiC
st of great national lines of railroad. L
1T the State of Ohio amend its constitutio
II or, what would be infinitely better. abe
re ish it altogether, and let the State CO
Y, struct through lines of railroad. L
W counties, townships, cities and village
le be permitted to construct railroads, tur
OF pixies. etc.
RS To bring this matter home. Suppo
e. all the property in jackson coun
I'd should be taxed each year ten per cen
IN and the proceeds applied to the CO
-, | 90 ra;1r0oda onA fnrnnik. ;.
in About half million dollars would
o abundantly able to pay 1t, and IT won
be paid to the laborer, the farmer w