St. Landry democrat., 1886-11-27
CARLlsIE'S SPEECH,

The first toast was: ''Amerlcan Indus
tries-Their Growth and Prosperity can
not be Promoted by Unnecessary Or IN
! equal Taxation.' This was responded TO
! by Hon John G. Carlisle, who sp2he as
| follows:
| CARLIsLE'S SPEECH.
Although the toast just read ASSERTS d SELL
| evident truth, we can not afford to ignore the
| fact that in this age of philosophical spectlla-
| ton and practical knowledge there are men IN
| the front ranks of literature, politics and
| business who seriously contend that the
! Government can make lis citizens rcn
! and prosperous by taxing them. II these
gentlemen should attempt to convince the
public that the farmer ccuId be made
moro prosperous by increasing the tax On his
| land. or that the manufacturer could o. ben
| fitted by compelling him TO pay a high rate Of
taxation on his machinery on his income. the
absurdity of their positions would be Sc appar-
ent as to excite universal ritICul" ana yet
such propositions would be no more absurd or
unreasonable than the assertion that the
prosperity of the people generally can be in
creased by imposing taxes on their food cloth
ing, building materials their means u trans-
portation and the tools used in then industries.
Taxes do not create wealth-theF destroy II. All
taxation, whethes it be direct or Indirect. and
no matter how it may be disguised, or IL what
way its payments be inforccd. is ultimately a
charge upon labor. while its immediate and in
variable effect is to withdraw the fun amount
of the eXaction from the productive
industries of the people. When it ie cquitably
! imposed for public purposes only and it, pro
ceedS are honestly used in 3C.TayirE III" neces-
sary expenses and meeting The just obligations
OF the Government, all are equally benefited
and none has right to complain. But when "a
tax Is imposed on one part OF the people or one
class Of industries. simply for the purpose OF
increasing the profits of another class OF INDUS
tries or when tax is SO laid that its necessary
effect IS to increase the profits in some indus
tries at the expense of others equally Merltori-
GUS the impolicy and injustice Of The proceed
ing are too obvious to require comment.
Absolute equality in the adjustment Of the
rates of taxation and in the designation Of the
articles upon which it shall be imposed is not
10 be expected. and. in fact, is not attainable:
but substantial equality and uniformity are
essential elements in every just revenue sys-
tenn. So long as the power Of taxation is
exercised only for the purpose Of raising
revenue for the support Of the Government
the principles of equality and uniformity
can be urged and enforced, IN
large degree at least, hut when
the power is perverted and used TO in
crease the profits of private individuals and
prevent the collection of revenue by the Gov
eminent, it is impossible to regulate its exer-
else by any rule or principle except fav0ritism
and selfishness. In such a case equality and
uniformity would necessarily defeat the
primary object of the tax. because If Is evident
that if all were compelled to pay equal tribute
to each other, nobody would be benefited. and
it is just as evident that if all do not pay equal
tribute. somebody must be cheated.
American industries-and by these terms
mean to include every honest and useful occu-
paton-cannot be promoted by any system of
taxation or any policy of legislation which dis
eliminates between them and compels one to
br1fn rt IF its NINA. 10
crease the profits prevent losses IL another.
There should be eXpatriated or prosecuted
industries in this country. There should be
no ranks degrees among the
legitimate occupations of the people, nor any
road to the favor or bounty of the Government
not open to all alike. Mining and manufact-
uring and the occupations dependent upon
them. are great and valuable industries. and
should be cherished and promoted in every
proper way. They afford employment to many
millions of capital and many thousands of Ia
borers, and their products contribute largely to
the welfare of the people But they are not
by any means the only American in
dustres in the household Of the poor.
In the fields and factories, in mines and facto-
rleS, in stores and shops, on the railroads.
canals and rivers, on the high seas-every-
where there are American industries strug-
Cling with the mighty forces of nature. and
subdung, combining and utilizing the clements
industrial system which fails to comprehend all
these necessarily leads to partial and erroneous
conclusions.
Taking that broad view Of these various in
dustries. which comprehends the smallest as
well as the greatest, and appreciates the inter
ests OF whole instead OF a part only. It is i'm
possible to understand how their growth and
prosperity can be promoted by taxation in any
form.
With fertile soil and friendly climate
with inexhaustible stores of coal ana iron-the
two most powerful material agencies in ouI
modern civilization; with a vast extent of un
occupied and undeveloped territory, with free
institutions and an intelligent, industrious and
enterprsing population, we ought TO be ex
empt from the social and political diseases
Which afttlct the crowded nations Of the old
world. and We will be exempt from these when
we tax all alike and protect all
alike. Living in such country
and surrounded by the marvellous
achievements of the most wonderful half
century in the annals of the human race, if the
people continue unprosperous and discomfort
ed: If wealth continues to accumulate rapidly
in the hands of the idle few. while hunger and
nakedness increase i'll the very homes of in
dustry ii invested capital remains uneasy and
labor dissatisfied, it will be burning disgrace
to the craftsmanship of the age, and terrible
weight of responsibility will rest upon those
who reject all means of relief and cling with
stubborn tenacity to the worst features of the
system under which these evils have originated
and obtained their present pro portions.
But gentlemen, no matter who may desert
or who may falter, the great fight for reform
will go on. This country does not belong
either to the monopolists the communists,
and the people will save it from both. Between
the two there stands great and powerful body
of enlightened, conservative and patriotic citi
zens who respect equally the rights of capital
and labor; who obey the laws and preserve
the public peace, and who in spite
of all combinations and conspiracies Will ulti-