The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-08-16
will make ell other reforms easier may
readily he seen. The taxation to which
wa .nOV rn4orf tn sI,nport orr xdyptu-

rcaully De seen. Inc taXHtlOn 10 which
We now resort to support o,,r GOVERN:
mepts Is \ rrclitit cause bf corruption
hnd decentralization. Our tariff, for in
stance, 10 imposed and maintained and
fought over by private interests who
use and seek to nse u ~. theif Own self:
ish adsantags; and who are anxious to
swell the national expenditures in order
to keep up taxation. It requires q
great array of Office holders. and gives
rise to no end Of corruption, evasion,
perjury and fraud. So with our inter-.
nal-revenue system. So, too, with
State and local taxation Of personal
property. The effect of abolishing all
these taxes, and raising all our public
revenues from that tax which tahnot bS
esaied and which is most easily col
lected--the tax on land values-world
be to greatly simplify government and
to take ont Of politics the inducements
which powerfully operate to corrupt
them.
This Ii tie line Of reform we should
pursue. To simplify government as
much as possible; to cut away all un-
necessary functions, and to bring 1t as
closely as possible to the people, ALI
those cumbrUus and elaborate revenue
laws; oil their revenue crime and reye;;
nue. oaths, with all their offitinls and
spies, and i'll thsir temptation to fraud
and corruption, ought to be abolished.
1t should not be a crime for any one to
do anything that did not harm another !;
to import what he pleased; to engage
in any business he pleased; to lend his
money at what rnte ne pleased. Nor
should be DC at liberty tc chll on the
power Of the State to collect his debts.
But while on the one side-the side
Of repression and rcgulation-we should
aim to minimize the functions Of gov
ernmcnt as much as possible, it is
necessary, on the other side, to expand
them. The natural progress ef ciyiliza-
tian, as VIZ naN may see, is to bring
mdii into closer and closer relations,
and to require the substitution of CO.
operative for individual action. That
is to say, to require the constant extern
sion of the co operative functions oi
government. To secure the equal
rights Of the individual it has become
absolutely necessary to assume As public
functions the operation Of telegraphs
and the maintenance and running oi
railroads.
This, it seems to me, is the solution
of the railroad and other similar prob.
lens. II it be said that our govern.
mental organization and political
methods cannot stand tho strain, the
only reply il that VIC must 30 change
them es to enable thcm to do SO or ",
must pay the penalty. And in this
case it has been put into tho terst
aphorism: "The Government mus,
own the railroads, or the railroads viii
own the Government"
And, in thinking of what is possible
! in the way of the management of com
mon concerns for the common benefit
not only is the great simplilication o
government which would result from
the reform have suggested to be con
sidered. but tho higher moral tone tina
would bc given to social life by til,
equal llzation of conditions and the aboli
ton of poverty. The greed of wealth
which makes it business motto tha
every man is to hc treated as though h,
were rascal, and induces despair o
getting in places of public trust mel
who will not abuse them. for selfisl
ends, is but tho reflection Of the fear 0
want. Men tramplc over each othe
from the frantic dread Of being trample,
upon, and the admiration with Whlcl
even the INSCRIPTIONS moneygetter i
regarded springs from habits OF though
engendered by the fierce struggle 70
existence to which the most OF us M
obliged to give up our best energies
But when no one feared want, whe!
every one felt assured of his ability /
make an easy and independent lisin
for himself and his family, that ropnla
admiration which now spurs even III
rich man still 10 add to his wealth woul
be given to other things than the ge,
ting of money. We should learn to r,
gard the man who strove to get NOR
than he could use as n foel-as m.lee
he is.
He must have eyes only for the m.a
and vile. who has mixed with men Will
out realizing that seltishn.ss and gree
and vice and crime are largely the n
suit of social conditions which hrin
ont the bad qualities Of human natur
and stunt the good; without realizin
that there is even now among men p.
triotism and virtue enough to secure u
the best possible management of publ
affairs if our social and political a,
justment enabled us to utilize tllos
qualities. Who has not known po,
men who might safely he trusted wit
untold millions? Who has not M.
with rich men who retained the mos
ardent sympathy with their fellows, I'll
, warmest devotion t. all that woul
benefit their kind? Look to-lay :
our charities. hopeless Of pronounce
! good though they may he.
In these papers, written for I'll
, casual reader, have touched on ma
ters which, for full understanlin:
require more thorough treatment. B.
: / trust those whose attention may ha,
! been called to them will read the boa
t"Progress AMI Poverty in Which
have systematically treated Of II
main social problems, and will pu
, sue these lines of thought for then
, selves.
As said in the first Of these paper
, the progress of civilization necessitat'
, the giving OF greater and greater n
| tention and intelligence to publ
: affairs. And for this reason am 90
/ vineed that We make great mistake
A depriying one sex of voice in publ
I matters, and that We could in no way
g increase the attention, the intelligen,
$ and the devotion which may he hrongl
!. to tine solution Of these problems If Il
| time as by enfranchising our wem..
1 Even If in ruler state Of society Il
0 intelligence Of one SIX suIlices for Il
q management ot eoInmon interests, Il
vastly more intricate, more deiitat. Ill
l more important ques tions which 4
/ progress Of civilization makes Il pull