Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-17

u,;,;s,rat;on and this demand should be recoe-
MED and changed by the peoples representa-
tves in the legislative branci OF If tn4
alton sound public policy requires that such OF
our citizens as have built up large and important
industries under the present conditions should
not be suddenly and to their injury deprived OF
these advantages. to which they have adapted
their business but if the public good requires It,
they should be content witt, such con cons
terests. while the Just demand of the people for
relief from needless taxation is honestly an
swered reasonable and timely submission to
snch demand should certainly be possible
without disastrous shock to any interest, and
cheerful concession sometimes averts abrupt and
needless action, often the outgrowth OF impa.
tience and delayed Justice. Due regard should
be also accorded in any proposed reimbursement
to the interests uf American labor SO far as they
are involved. We congratulate ourselves that
unyielding bounds and doomed under all condi-
tions to the memorable fate OF daily toll; we
recognize in labor
CHIEF FACTOR IN THE WEALTH OF THE RE-
PUBLIC,
and we treat those who have it in their keeping
as citizens entitled to the most careful regard
tention should be awarded them. not only be-
cause labor is the capital of our workingmen,
Justly entitled to its share of government favor.
but for the further and not less important rea-
son that the laboring man, surrounded by his,
family in his humble home, as q consumer is
vitaly interested in all that cheapens the cost of
living and enables him to bring within his do
This relation of the workman to the revenue
laws for the country, and the manner in which
it palpably Influences the question of wages
should not be forgotten in the justifable prom
inence given to the proper maintenance of the
supply and protection of we'll paid labor, and
these considerations suggest snch an arrange
ment of the government revenues as shall re-
duce the expense of living while it does not cur
tail the opportunity for work: nor reduce the
compensation of American labor and injuri-
ously affect its condition and the dignified place
it holds in the estimation of our people. But
OUR FARMERS AND AGR1CuLTURIsTs,
those who from the soil produce the things con-
sumed by all. are perhaps more directly and
plainly concerned than any other Of onr citizens
in a just and careful system of federal taxation.
Those actually engaged in and more remotely
connected with this kind of work number nearly
one-half of our population. None labor harder
or more continuously than they. No enactments
limit their hours of toll and no interposition Of
value of their products: and yet for many of the
necessaries and comforts of life which the most
scrnpulous economy enables them to bring into
their homes, and for their implements of
price largely increased by an Unnatural profit
which by the action of the government is given
to the more favored manufacturer. recommend
that, keeping in view all these considerations,
tional income annually accommodating be released
to the people by an amendment to our revenue
laws which shall cheapen the price of the necessa
ries OF life and give freer entrance to such i'm
manufactured into marketable commodities.
Nothing can he accomplished, however, in the
direction of this mucl-needed REFORM unless the
subject is approached in patriotic spirit of de-
votion to the interests of the entire country and
with willingness to yield something for the
public good.