Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-25
MINNE.lPOLIs WORKING1uEN.

Their Petition to be Forwarded to Congress
The following petition has been forwarded
to HE GLOBE with request for publica-
ton. It was presented by the committee OF
Minneapolis Workingmen's Union, to whom
such matter was referred at the last meeting
and unanimously adopted and signed by up,
wards of 1000 members:
To the Congress of the United States:
The undersigned, citizens of Minneapolis
Minnesota, by occupation workingmen
would respectfully petition your honorable
body to pass law to establish tax upor
incomes, because
This country is in theory, intended pri
marily for the benefit of those who carr
their living by physical toll, these constitut
ing the great bulk and mass of the popula
ton; but instead of our laws conserv
ing "the greatest good for the great
est NUMBER they all tend to make the rich
man richer and the poor man poorer. In
England, which is a monarchial country
governed by an aristocracy, the law imposes
few no burdens on the laboring man
while wealth is compelled to pay its pro rata
share of the expenses of government.
But in Republican America the rich can
escape all taxation by putting their means in
government bonds; OF can shift it upon
those below them; while the laboring man is
taxed upon his clothing, his tools, his house
etc. The wood, paint, putty and nails in his
babys cradle and his own coffin are alike
taxed; and thus from the cradle to the grave
he bears nearly all the burdens of govern
ment.
In his increased rent he pays his landlords
taxes, in his decreased wages he pays his
tow iy4 /,f 4b, D1o
he purchases he pays the bridesmaids taxes.
Thus he is rapidly being forced down to
pauperism, and already his condition is so
desperate that the goods he manufactures
are sold in foreign markets at lower prices
than the better paid Workmen of those coun-
tries can afford to produce them for. We
therefore ask that you will pass an income
tax, SO that wealth, and not labor will sup
port the government. For it seems to us
only reasonable that those who derive most
advantages from society, should pay
most to protectit.
This is the principle which applies to
State and county taxation and there is nc
reason why it should not apply to national
taxation.
And we further pray that your honorable
body will take immediate action in relation
to finance, and enact laws in accordance with
the views presented by the Hon. D. w. Vor-
hees, of Indiana, in speech delivered by
him in the United States Senate on January
Is. And, as workingmen endorsing the
views set forth by that honorable gentleman
we beg leave to present this petition in his
language: We ask
First-The restoration of the silver dollar
exactly as it stood before it was touched
by the act of February, 1878. We desire
that it shall have unlimited coinage, not
fearing that it will become too abundant fol
our wants, and that it be made full lega
tender, believing that it is as good now witt
which to pay all debts, public and private
as it was during the eighty one years O:
American history.
Second-The repeal Internationally OF
the act of January IA, 1875, compelling thu
resumption of specie payments on Januar,
II, 1879, holding that the question of re
turn to a specie basis for. our currenc,
should be controlled entirely by the business
interests of the country. We do not beliey,
that the country should be dragged through
the depths of ruin, wretchedness and degra
dation in order to reach gold standard TO-
the benefit alone of the income classes
Third-That the national banking system
be removed and circulating medium pro
vided by the government for the people
without taxing them for the privilege of OBJ
tanning it; and we ask that the amount thu
placed in circulation shall bear reasonable
and judicious proportion to the business
transactions and the population of tn
United States.
Fourth-That the currency authorized an,
circulated on the authority of the govern
ment shall be made legal tender in paymen
of all debts, public and private, includin,
all dues to the government, we'll KNOWN,
that it will then be at par with gold, OF NOR
likely at premium over it.
Fifth-That hereafter the financial polio
of the country shall be framed permanent
in our interest; that we shall not be dis
eliminated against in future legislation as il
the past, and that our prosperity and no
the mere growth of the income to be retire
to capitalists, shall be the duty of the gov
eminent.
Sincerely trusting that the representative
Of the people, whom we have addressed. wi
take some action that will at least PARTIAL
lift this terrible cloud of stagnation an
financial depression which now overshadow
the land like a funeral pail, and give us
glimpse of the silver lining which we hope
may have for the many millions Of our 70