The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-09-20

whole, and also upon such additional
taxes and assessments as the purchasers
may have paid during the time OF re-
demption. Truly this is piling Ossa up
on Pelion. In every other instance Of
the sale OF q mans real property for the
payment Of debt he can redeem BY
paying only pr cent. Now why this
distinction, unless to put it beyond the
power of the owner to redeem? And
yet Judge Gillian could draft law con-
tanning such extravagant provisions
and ii elected to the supreme bench will,
| without doubt, hold them to be constitu-
tional; else he would never have In
serted them.
This law was pushed through the leg
| islature by the influence before men
toned, aided by county officers who are
therein provided with fees amounting to
about as much as the taxes in majority
of cases.
| It is q direct invitation to all the money
sharks IF the country TO withhold their
money from legitimate loans, and invest
it in tax titles when they can fatten upon
the property or misfortune Of others, and
obtain just double the rate Of interest
which the law permits them to contract
for when loaning to individuals, and as
if to make it the more attractive te this
class, the law SO saddles the poor delin-
quent owner with penalties, interest,
and costs, that he can only extricate him.
self ut ruinous sacrifice.
AS the natural result Of law so in
iquitous, moneyed harpies have already
made their appearance at the tax sales,
in all the principal COMMISSIONING
even from over States to the feast pre-
pared for them, In some of the remote
counties the entire lists of delinquent
lands have been bid off by single per-
son or combination Of persons ;-already
are these cormorants making active
preparations for raid upon the grass
hopper district, in the expectation that
the property of the people of that
afflicted region, will fall an easy prey to
their rapacity. 1t is to be hoped that all
such will meet with fitting reception.
In the meantime let the thousands
, against whose lands judgment has been,
or shortly will be, rendered fer nom
, payment of taxes, remember whom TO
! thank for this law, and keep in mind
, that If he should be elected to the Su-
J preme bench he must hold the act in its
J entirety good, or confess his inability
to draft one that will stand the test of
: the constitution
f The whole affair is an attempt on the
part of the Legislature to assume JUDI
: cial functions; and how man who
: once was honored with seat upon the
Supreme bench could consent to aid in
such an invasion of the judicial author
!. ity, passes our comprehension.
Now in saying this we do not mean to
attack the committees that framed the
: bill. or even the Legislature which
1 passed it. 1t was conceded that some
: change in the law was necessary, es-
|, pecialIy to reach the pine-land owners,
r who were in the habit OF stripping
their lands of the timber, the only real
value, and permitting the State to take
! the barren realty for unpaid taxes. But
: the committee looked to judge Gillian
g to frame q law tor them that would
i reach these wealthy delinquents, In
. stead Of doing so he framed the ORA
: CONAN code above referred to. which
: was ten times more severe than the COM
}. mittees intended it should be; and now
ia many counties three fourths OF the
y lands are being sold under that terribly
= severe law, which, if the next Legisla-
y ture does not afford some relief, will de-
: prive many poor men Of their homes.
9 It's easy to say: Men should pay
: their taxes. Yes; and men should have
good health. But men get sick and
g poor despite their best efforts to the
Z contrary; and the trouble with Judge
e Gillian. and men Of his ilk, is, that they
. regard man as having few rights, and
Q money a. having many rights. The citi.
= zen is, to their mind, mere thing to
Q pay taxes, and government mere ma
e chine to extort taxes; and If the citizen
= will not pay readily, then the legal raeh
g and thumb-screws mnst be applied Z
z him to drag the money out. Il il take
q his tears and his hearts blood with i.
= To our mind, the highest object IN ~
: world Is human happiness; not the hap
= piness Of the rich alone; but Of all men
g and governments are Instituted among
= men simply to secure that happiness.
= Between Judge Gil6llan, WHO'S
j ~v~r>e1,sa. -, III -, f1,o aide If Canifn1