The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-12-09
RENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE

BENEFIT TO THE PEOPLE
at large the vast accumuations Of q few among
our citizens whose fortunes. rivaling the wealth
Of the most favored in anti-demOcratic nations.
are not the natural growth Of steady, plain
and industrious republic. Our farmers. too.
and those engaged directly and indirectly In
supplying the products OF agriculture. see that
day by day. and d as often as the daily n wants OF
excessive and needless taxation. while their
products struggle In foreign markets with the
competition OF nations which, by allowing .
freer exchange of productions than we permit,
enable their people to sell for prices which dis
tress the American farmer. As every patrioti c
citizen rejoices in the constantly increasing
pride of our people in American citizenship and
In the glory of our national achievements and
progress. q sentiment prevails that the leading
strings useful to a nation in it's infancy may
well, to great extent, be discarded in the pres
ent stage Of American ingenuity, courage
and fearless self-reliance: and for the
privilege Of indulging this sentiment with true
ing to fOreRo an idle surplus in the public treas
ury, and all the people know that the average
rate OF federal taxation upon imports is to-day.
in slime :of peace but little less, while upon
some articles of necessary consumption. it Is
actually more, than was imposed by the grievous
burden willingly borne at d time when the gov
ernment needed millions to maintain by war the
safety and integrity OF the United States. 1t
has been the policy Of the government to collect
the principal part OF its revenues by tax upon
imports and no change in the policy Is desfa-
BILE. But the present condition of afeirs con-
strains our people to demand that by revision
Of our revenue laws the receipts of the govern
ment shall be reduced to the necessary expense
of it's economical administration, and this de-
mand should be recognized and obeyed by the
peoples representatives in the legisl tive
branch Of the government In readjusting the
BURDENS OF FEDERAL TAXATION
a sound public policy requires that such of our
citizens as have built up large and import ant
industries under the present condition should
not be suddenly and to their injury deprived of
advantages to which they have adapted their
business: but If the public good requires it,
xs<,-
as shall deal fairly and cautiously with their
interests While the just demand Of the people
for relief from needless taxation is homes ly
answered. reasonable and timely submission
to such a demand should certainly be possible
without disastrous shock to any interest; and
a cheerful concession &c metimes averts abrupt
patience and delayed justice. Due regard
should be also accorded in any proposed read
justment to the interests Of American labor So
far as they are involved. We congratulate our
selves that there Is among us no laboring class
fixed within unyielding bounds and doomed
under all conditions to the inexorable fate
of daily toll. We recognize in labor
public, and we treat those vino have it
for their keeping as citizens entitled 10 the most
careful regard and thouehtful attention; This
regard and attention should be awarded them,
not only because labor is the capital Of our
workingman. justly entitled to its share Of
government favor, but for the further and not
less important reason that the laboring man,
surrounded by his family in his humble home,
as a consumer is vtally interested in all that
cheapens the cost of living and enables him to
bring within his domicile additional comforts
and advantages. This relation OF the working
man 10 the revenue laws OF the country and the
manner i'll which it palpably influences the
question Of wages should not be forgotten in the
JUS ifiabie prominence given to the proper main
tsnauce of the supply and protection of we'll
paid labor. And these considerations suggest
shall curtall the cost OF living, while it does not
curtail the opportunity for work, nor reduce the
compensation Of American labor and injuriouslv
affect its condition and the dignifed place
it holds in the estimation of our people But
our
FARMERS AND AGRICULTURIsTs,
those who from the soil produce the things con-
sumed By all perhaps more directly and
plainly concerned than any other OF our 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
cne-haH Of our population: none labor harder OF
more continuously than they. No euacLments
limit their hours Of toll and no interposition OF
the government enhances to any great extent
the value of Eeir products, and yet, for many OF
the necessaries and comforts Of life. which the
most scrupulous economy enables them TO bring
husbandry, they are obliged to pay 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, the in
creasing and unnecessary surplus OF national in
come annually accumulating be released to the
people by an amen dment of our revenue laws
which shall sharpen the price Of necessaries OF
life and give freer entrance 10 such imported
materials as by American labor may be manu-
factured into marketable commodities Nothing
can be accomplished, however. in the direction
of this much needed reform unless the subject
is approached in patriotic spirit Of devotion to
the interests of the entire country and with a
Willingness to yield something for the public
good
THE PUBLIC DEBT
The sum paid upon the public debt during the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1886, was $f4, ,551,
O43.36. During the twelve months ended Oct.
81, 1856, rer cent bonds were called for re-
demption amounting to 1927, 283, 100. of which
$50, 643, 200 was 80 called to answer the re-
quirements Of law relating to the sinking fund
and $466, 500 for the purpose of reducing the
public debt by application Of part of the slr-
plus in the treasury to that object. OF the
bonds thus called S1O2, 269. .450 became subject
under such calls to redemption pr;or &c
Nov. /. 1856. The remainder, amounting tc
$25, $50, matured under the calls after
that date in addition to the amount sub
ject to payment and cancellation prior to Nov.
1. There were also paid before that day certain
bonds amounting to $5, O72, $50 which were an
ticipated "a to che maturity, OF which S26G4,
600 had been called prior to the LIST OF Novera-
Der. 1886, to the extinguishment of our bonded
and interest," bearing debt, leaving On that day
and still outstanding 81, 153, 443. 112. or this
amount $86, ,S4S, 700 were still represented by 3
per cent bonds They, however. have been since
Nov. IA, or will at once be, further reduced by
$22, COG, $50. being bonds which have been
called, as already stated, but not redeemed and
cancelled before the latter date.