The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-29
A Sugg astion.

To the Editor of the MINER.
suggest that the constitution for
the proposed State of Montana shall
contain a provision of the following
character:
"No person, except corporations or
associations for benevolent, chari-
table or educational purposes, shall
take, or be allowed to take money or
property of any kind by Inheritance,
will or devise, exceeding in value the
sum of one million dollars. And the
excess ofany Inheritance or legacy
of sucL money or property over one
million dollars shall go to the next of
kin of the decedent, after said heirs
or legatees, provided, no person Of
such next of kin shall take more than
said sum, and in case therei is no next
of kin or in case there is an excess at
ter such next of kin has or have
taken, the excess in either case shall
escheat to the school fund tf the
State.'
It is a universally admitted fact
the collection and retention of a large
amount of wealth in the hands of
one man is not u healthy process for
the people generally or for the State
as a body. To attempt to place a
limit, however, upon the amount of
property or money which a man may
gain might be detrimental to private
enterprise to which the success of
great public works is due And it
would, perhaps, prove difficult to fix
upon a sum which should be the linn
it of a mans ambition. But because,
for the sake of %arousing all the ener-
gies that a ms possesses, We allow
him to accumulate wealth in quanti-
ties detrimental to the best interests
of society, it does not follow that we
should give HIM the privilege of con-
tinuing that injury beyond his own
| life by leaving his wealth in the
hands of one person, as Cornelius
| Vanderbilt did, and as is becoming
| the fashion with the rich men of the
| east. Rather, let us see that these
| great accumulations are distributed.
| giving the possessor the r right to make
| the distribution if he will, enforcing
it bv law il he will not.
An additional public advantage
-L:ol anrooyrvn roirhf Qp3ln frnYn
such q law would be that Our mil
lionaires would think more OF the
| probable future of their wealth and
| not caring to have it fall to the pos
session of careless or improvident or
| of perhaps personal enemies, would
| devote a large part of their wealth to
| the founding and building of great
| public benevolent institutions, which
would carry their names down to flu
lure generations in a noble way and
| at the same time make al! the people
better and happier.
An objection that may be urged
against the plan is that it would
| drive the milliOnaires from the State.
! But they could not take the mines,
| the farms and the forests with them.
| We would lose only the men, and
millionaires personally are not re-
puted to be such very valuable men,
bers Of the social organization. II
| thew sold out their interests in our
| state. we would probably obtain a
hundred or a thousand as good or
better men in their stead.
Another objection that will be
urged against the provision is that it
is unnecessary; that the United
| States has not reached a stage when
the results of this accumulation of
wealth IN certain families is a serious
matter. But when that time does
come, as it may come, it may be inn
possible for us to apply the remedy.
The old adage still holds good. IAN
ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure" JULIAN.