The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-08-20
THE EAST AND WEST.

THE EAST AND WEST.
We are preaching the gospel Of in
telligence and fair play. 1t must not
be supposed that because we arc Of
those who growl and grumble at the
evils which exist, that therefore we are
insensible to the blessings we enjoy -
the great blessings which flow from our
new land and our free Institutions. But
while we love our country, and are
proud of her greatness, we must not
submit to injustice or wrong, even in
her name. Injustice and wrong are not
our country; any more than the burg
lar, who crawls into our dwelling, is
part Of our home. The worst friends
are those which shelter themselves
behind sacred names: even as
the most dangerous rogue
is the one who wraps the mantle of re-
ligion around his crimes.
live would have our country always
beloved by its inhabitants we must
keep it. purified. Men cannot long
love that which Injuries them.
In this spirit we regard all discussions
as to the comparative advantages which
the East and the West enjoy under the
laws of the nation, as perfectly legiti-
mate. Although we love the Union of
these States it does not follow that we
should receive fewer benefits from it
than the men of another section. The
Union means equal rights and equal
opportunities for all it's citizens; injus-
tice for none.
Now let us see whether we are receiv-
ing our share Of these common bless
ings.
Let us institute a comparison be-
tween two States, Rhode Island and
Minnesota.
We select these two because in 1860
they had, practically, the same popu-
lation Rhode Island had la $40 in
habitants; Minnesota 1885.
! W z OdSC Jul COAA pal lSOl OA tAC CCu-
sus reports of 1850 and 1870.
By the census of 1870 the total per-
sonal wealth Of Rhode Island, that is
to say, everything but the land and
the buildings thereon, amounted to
Sill, 4O2,273. While Minnesota, with
about the same population, pos
sessed, of personal property,
800, O55, AS. That is to
say. the average personal property Of
each inhabitant Of Rhode Island, in
1870, was $5l3; and of each inhabitant
of Minnesota, $5O.5O. The average
Rhode Islander was therefore worth
more than ten dollars for every dollar
owned by the average Minnesotian.
And yet Congress says that the man
who owns the S5O.50 must be ia xed
two prices on what he buys, to support
the man who owns the $513. Why not
reverse it? Why not tax the rich to
help the poor! "But to him that hath
shall be given; and from him that hath
not, shall be taken even that which he
hath"
| It may be said With truth that Rhode
Island, in the very . nature
Of things, ought to be richer
than Minnesota, inasmuch as she
has the accumulated wealth resulting
from the labors Of several genera tions;
I while Minnesota was settled, IS it were,
but the other day. True; but that
does not furnish any reason why the
new and poor country should be taxed
by Protective Tariff to still further
enrich the old and wealthy country.
| And it certainly is SO taxed.
Now this being agovernment Of equal
laws, in which one section is presumed
to have as many rights as another, it
would follow that dollar should be as
productive in one part Of the country
as another; or at least that the govern
ment should not interfere to make
dollar more productive in one quarter
than in the rest.
And yet the census reports show that
dollar Of wealth is vastly more pro-
ductive in Rhode Island than in Mime
sofa.
Let us prove this:
In Rhode IsIand the population in
creased in ten years, to-wit: from 1850
to 1870, 42,736; in Minnesota, during
the same decade, the population increas-
ed 26l, las.
In Rhode Island every nook and cor
ner WAS inhabited and every acre under
cultivation in 1850. In Minnesota, q
region several timea greater than Rhode
Island, was, during those ten years,
brought under settlement; covered with
population, who brought in with them
horses, wagons, cows and implements,
and during these ten years raised large
crops and large amounts of stock. One