The Labor enquirer., 1886-12-04

property and mans person are to be
protected and this protection takes CO.
operative and ORGANIZED form for the
sake Of efficiency and economy. Every
human being should seek to live de-
GENTLY, and when such comes to pass all
beyond this is at least superduous.
Therefore it follows that an income in
sufficient to secure the common necessi.
ties of life should not be leesened by
taxation And to this extent modern
government has come. In Europe and
in this country incomes of less than
givens amounts are not taxed, but above
such incomes th.re is uniform rate OF
taxation.
But true political economy would
impose graduated scale of taxation ;
5000 income perhaps free, or $4,000
perhaps free of all taxation. 5000
lightly taxed, $4,000 moderately taxed,
$4,000 sorely taxed. and $4,000 so
taxed that more would not be worth
having. On this basis the income OF
government would be enormously ade-
quate for all public improvements and
education, all rsinements and the sue
coring and fostering Of science. art and
letters. The prodigious and wicked
fortunes of individuals are menace to
our civilization and should be taxed out
of existence. Not one of these enor-
nous fortunes has been made without
grievous wrong having been done.
They have been accumulated through
greed, oppression. grinding labor, or by
creating on engraved paper7-stocks and
bonds-property that has no existence.
TIE next and last proposition of organ
ICED Socialism is wholly feasible and In
stantlv practicable, 1t is embodied in
this declaration:
I'VE declare war on that system which
hands public works to corporate CON
troll, permits such benificient agencies
as the railroad and the telegraph to be
means of robbing the producer, and of
enabling railroad rings and stock gamb.
lers to throttle business and dictate
laws"
We are a most conservative nation.
t. g IL
in America that contrary to
our own view of ourselves. we are slow
to make changes or to redress wrongs.
In many most important ways We are
slow in keeping pace with
modern life in Europe. Look at one
matter. The postal system in this coun-
try is in the hands of the government
and there cannot be found sane man
who would dream of turning owe: all the
mails and their carrying and all the
postofices and their administration to
like the Western Union tel
egraph company. Such a proposal
would be deemed monstrous. But is it
less monstrous that We should consent
that all the telegraph and telephone
systems of this country should be in the
hands not only of corporations, but a:
of noEolies, and irresistible
The whole American people a'e the
victims and slaves of these vast monop-
olies and we are silent. No country of
Europe would endure for twelve
month what the American people put up
with without effec i've protest. Our
wrongs and grievances take the form of
funny paragraphs In the newspapers.
Italy, that we here, until recently,
looked upon as half barbsric nation
chiefly brigands in postal, telegraph,
provisions for gas and water
owned by the municipality, is far in our
lead. New York City has been robbed
Of the entire debt which she now owes,
The gas and the water works should
be owned and administered by the CITY.
These hidious telegraph and telephone
masts that disfgure our streets and en-
danger our property should be razed to
the earth and the companies should put
the wires under ground, aud if owned
by the municipalities they would be-
Why should the CITY build and own the
sewers and not the gas and Nater2 No
reason, except the city does not. 1t is
we'll known that gas stock has in many
places paid as high as 80 per cent. l 60
the full length of this last proposition of
Socialism. Ths federal gov
eminent should own the railroads, for
they mean the commerce of the country,
and every service that seeps part of
the equipment of modern society, and
government BY the people will share
with the people all the advantages of
such ownership. 1t is shame as well
as a madness that these United States
have given to railroad corporations the
public lands. Millions of acres have
been given away, recklessly given away.
and now the rich capitalists of the east
and west are iDheritine the wealth
which inheritantly belongs to the peo'
pie.
No limit is placed upon state activity
save the general good. This was John
Stuart Mills view Of the function of the
gov ernment more than thirty years ago.
Just as now the postoffice and educati N
which is essentially private and in
dustrial concern-are absorbed by the
government; just so every other public