The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-10-12

lNNueu eNtUtcN Ill lHuINIuNNIS. uil tIle
law OF primogenitnre, are unknown to
man in state Of nature; and We have
already observed that poverty does not
! exist iii primitive society. We have nj
/ ready observed that measure OF hap
piness exists in a state Of nature: SO we
reason that. rs society exists to-day, it
has the power. through legislation. to
l cuualize those two extremes. as We find
them existing in civilized society.
| Az a fitting illustration that may
serve purpose hereafter il may be
proper to observe that in the physical
world there is \ point Of elevation above
which vegetation does not grow. There
are also places below this point known
ns miasmatic swamps. in which 1t is
unhealthy and unsafe for man to live.
II we have not the right to equalize
society bv legislation, our rights are
annihilated. True there has been no
attempt rs yet to cqnalize the two eN-
tremes on the American continent, ex-
cept the labor strikes and instructions
on the part of the oppressed The
wide expanse Of unoccupied territory
IN the far West has kept open tho
safety valve Of our social and political
institutions, for the majority Of men
find themselves poor. but in the midst
Of plenty. vet unable to partake Of the
result Of their own labor. and thus find
no alternative but to leave the busy
marts Of trade where shipping, manu-
featuring. railroading and other csi-
dences OF civilization--the results Of
common school and college teaching
to an approximation of state OF
nature. where he can find himself sur
rounded by his equals and unmolested
in the enjoyment Of his rights. This is
plainly demonstrable from the course
| taken bv the emigrant's covered wagon.
/ One never sees n covered wagon whose
occupants are destined for New York.
Philadelphia or Boston. no.withssand-
ing there is probably more wealth in
these three cities than in all the
country west Of the Mississippi river,
vet the emigrant finds that rs he has
not the wealth OH the one extreme he
must choose the other or "go West"
Even there he unconsciouslv or una
voidahlv prepares the ground for rich
harvest, to be extracted from him and
returned over the railroads owned and
monopolized by Eastern capitalists, who
are heing protected and built up by the
fostering hand Of the Government. The
New England grain and stock jobhers
make their annual tours through the
great West to view the golden harsests
on the vast prairics, made productive
by the same hands that were driven
thence by starvation and ex-parte legis-
lation. They view these productive
farms with about the same intent That a
farmer does his apiary. He determines
about how much honey he can extract
from the hive without starving the coll
onv until they are ready for work again
the coming season. But need not IL
lustrate further. for the evidences of
the extremes in civilized society are too
apparent to be gainsaid. The difficulty
does not lie in a lack Of illustrative evil
dences so much as a remedy for the
evils themselves. We have observed
that an armed political revolution Is
unnecessary in popular government.
But revolution Of opinions through
the hallot-box is our only remedy for
these evils. and the sooner the masses
Of starved, discontinued and oppressed
people can see and appreciate = remedy
as cifectuallv as they do the disease, l
have no fears as To the final result.
We appreciate the evils and disad-
vantages under which we labor, but
what shall be the remedy We have
already observed that every landowner
owes the Government -or the people.
who are the Government a ground
rent or tax. for the land originally be
longel TO them IN common; and, as
everything we have must come out of
the ground whether it be money or
anything clsel, it should bear its equal
proportion Of the burden with the
ground from which il was taken. We
often 10 ,st that laws are framed upon
that principle of Justice which affords
the greatest amount of god to the
greatest number" Then, since athe
greatest number among us are poor. il
follows that all legislation should be in
their favor. However, it does not
come within the province Of law to say
directly that an individual or a corpo-
ration shall not own more than GER
tain amount Of land, nor be 20 sessed
Of more than fixed amount Of money.
nor have more than stipulated income:
hut legislators are empowered to say
that this land. this money. this income
may. can and Of right shall b. taxed.
And not only taxed. but that the tax he
graduated: for instance. land valued at
$i.OOn. $1,000 cash or an income of
$1,000. should he taxed So much. and
each additional Thousand he taxed not
ONLY IN arithmetical but in geometrical
progression: SO that an individual un-
der this plan cauli not afford To he a
millionaire. and thus he kept below the
financial timber line OF society.
thereby elevating millions out of the
~miasmatic swamps" of poverty.
The rich will doubtless think this
system unjust. but their h-ing interest
ed parties should prevent their having
anything to say in the legislating: that
innumerable number OF loyal toadies Il
party may say il is unfair: and few
unple,lged voters may think it too 81
we're. But when We look the field owe,
We can see no one seriously ohiec,ing
except that class who have political
hopes and aspirations for Office. W.
chile the man who invests 50 for Lou.
isisna lottery ticket which offers ON,
chance in 800 to draw the capital prize
vet there are thousands to-day VIII,
have political aspirations. that one so
lar thouvhf wonld teach them that If i