Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-12
Correspondence Of the Beacon.)
OAkvILLE. July Q. 1877

Correspondence OF the Beacon.)
OAkvILLE, July 2, 1877.
-Nessrs: Editors Amy thinking man
who reads Os communications must
conclude that he is a sensationali,t a
Mp Van Winkle, who has not vet bee n
fully awakened from his slumbers. or an
ardent youth fresh from school who has
been favored with seat among old pol
itIcians, while they were DISCUSSING the
jolly scenes of ".4uH Lang Syne'-as
We are well aware that nany discus.
s'ons are held in private circles on this
subject, and there are really more who
favor Os proposition than one would
think possible in this advanced age. As
sensationalist, he has chosen a good
theme with which to get up one. Ifhe
IS Van Winkle, we can imagine his
surprise when he is fully aroused and
finds that the subject which he was
thinking over when peaceful slumber
overlook him has long s,nce become OBJ
solete: but If he is a young man lust
starting out on liie's journey and wisbe.
to write his name in the book of fame
i know that he has taken the wrong
means to gain that end. II he is a SEN
sationalIst. a counter. .irritant is appiica-
BILE. ] judge he remembers that the
stump orators have been for manv wears
m the habit OF telling the people that
the consumer paid all the Government
taxes. No matter who paid the money
TO the Government, IL in the end was
paid by the consumer. O, | suppose,
endorsed that doctrine. Asrt emanated
from democrats, and he seems a good
party man, can he show me the differ
ence' All who are successful in any
business must clear expenses, and taxes
are certainly expenses. If the farmer
or merchant did not take his taxes in
consideration in making his calculations
for hiring labor and selling his wares,
he would soon be on the road to ruin.
II Van Winkle, my advice is, rake
up and look around you, and saw do YOU
think itpossible TO sink the laboring man
to the position he held century ago
But ii he is an ambitious youth aspiring
to climb ''the mountain steep of fame"
j think that a few words Of friendly
caution will be beneficial. II o will
examine the subject thoroughly or in
his own words "go to the bottom OF the
we'll and not play truant to the great
central thought by chasing each stray
and idle one that fits arornd, he will
find that the different interests of labor
and capital are SO interviewer that il is
impossible for the most astute mind To
find a dividing line; and that he who
strives to array one against the other is
no friend Of either. Opposition begcts
opposition. and any attempt Of on. to
curtail the rights OF the other will ne
cessarily lead to counter efforts. The
last two centuries has witnessed the gi-
santic struggle IN which labor has raised
itself from the slough Of ignorance and
dependency to which narrow minded
rulers had consigned it to one Of equal
ity with capital. This is ITS true posi-
ton. Brsin and muscle have won and will
continue to win il opposed by capital.
but where all three are united and work
harmoniou>fy together. neither striving
to infringe upon the rights Of the other,
the greatest good will certainly be at
tanned. Go deeper and you will see
that the great underlying principle Of
our Government is that "merit makes
the man." or. in ether words, .sali men
are created equal, and their position in
after life must depend upon their own
actions" But to follow O's theory We
muss reverse this. The spendthriil or
dolt who has Inherited. or by some
means acquired property. would be po-
iitfeaIty superior to the intelligent and
industrious )aborer and would have him
entirely at his mercy. As an illussra-
ton, We will suppose that a man who
inherited S2O,OOO has a, the age Of thir-
ty spent one-hali or perhaps all, bu, is.
by unfair means. holding a large amount
OF property which justly belongs to his
creditors, rs he to be entrusted with the
Management Of public affairs in prefer
ence to the honest and intelligent man
who starts in life with nothing but his
brains and muscle and has accumulated
Q little but not enough to make h,m one
Of the favored few Methinks any in.
telligent man would answer no, vet O
says diff. rently. Who is the better man
or more worthy to be trusted, he who
builds up . name and fortune BY indus
try and economy or the spend,hrift son
who squanders Il, Commun sense gives
but one answer, yet, to adopt O's theo-
ry, the first must toll long yeaes before
he can acquire any political rights. while
the worthless son, not ct perhaps To own
4 burial place, ,nherits them. Really,
such ideas are simply ridiculous. II
o will look again, ii he will examine
carefully, he will find that ,h.e fcur,hs