St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-18
STATESMEN TALK.
Continued From First rage.


industries to the home market exclusively,
so that the amount of production must be
regulated by the domestic demand alone, and
operations must be suspended when that de-
mand is satisfied; it has INSTRUCTED
international exchanges thus par
TALLY excluding the products of our
other industries from profitable markets
abroad diminishing their earnings and ar
resting their growth and prosperity; it has
provoked other governments to resort to re-
talatory measures, discriminating against
our products and trade in their own ports
and markets and giving preference to the
products and trade of our most formidable
rivals, aud here at home by encouraging
capital and labor to rely upon legislation for
profit rather than their own capac ty, it has
greatly impaired that spirit of independence
and enterprise which is absolutely ind.S-
pensable to the successful prosecution of
business in this age of Improvement and
progress. These are only few of the evils
which the existing system of taxation has in
hicted upon the country. Many valuable in
dustrieS, which would have tiourished without
it. bave peen tortured to death by its UNEQUAL
burdens and unjust determinations while
others have been crushed by the combina-
lions and monopolies which it creates and
sustains. Some have prospered in spite of
it, but the sum Of the peoples wealth. the
aggregate accumulation Of savings in all
branches OF industry, is undoubtedly much
less than it ought ito have been and would
have been under a more equal revenues stem
and more liberal commercial policy. few
have become rich, but many have become
very poor and the
GULF BETWEEN LUXURY AND PERJURY
| is growing wider and deeper day by day.
Ihls uDnatural and dangerous condition of
affairs could not possibly exist in a vonnU
and rapidly developing c0uutr, like onrs If
| the laws and legislationS affecting the cres
| uon ana distribution of wealth were lust and
| equal in their operation. With q fertile soil
ana friendly climate, with inexhaustible
stores Oh coal and iron, the two most power
ful material agencies in our modern cuItiys
ZION. with vast extent OF unoccupied and
undeveloped territory. with free institutions
and intelligent Industrious and enterprisin0
population, we ought to be exempt from the
social and political diseases which af1ict the
crowded nations of the old world. and we will
be exempt from them when we tax all alike
and protect all alike. Living in such y
country and surrounded by the marvellous
! achIevements OF the most wonderful half Gem
| tury in the annals of the human race if the
| people continue unprosperous and diseon
| tented, IL wealth continues to accumulate
| rapidly In the hands of the idle few while
| hunger and nakedness increase in the very
homes OF industry. and if invested capital re-
| mains uneasy and insecure and labor dssat-
lsned. it will be a burning disgrace to the
! craftsmanship of the age, and a terrible
"IiS"t vi ieopohslplIty VIII rest upon those
| VINO REJECT all measures of relief and cling
| with stubborn tenacity to the worst features
! or the system under which these evils have
originated and attained their present propor-
lions. But, gentlemen, no matter who NAV
desert or who may falter, the great fight for
reform will go on. This country does not be-
long TO either the monopolists or the commu-
nists and
THE PEOPLE WILL SAVE 1T
from poth Between the two there stands a
great and powerful body of enlightened, con-
sentative and patriotic citizens VINO 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
conspracies, will ultimately see that the true
principles OF justice and equality prevail in
the legislation of the country Even
to prevent the continuance of long
existing and constantly increasing evils,
they will not rush from one ex-
IRENE to another, but will proceed carefully.
deliberately and resolutely TO correct
Inequalities, remove unnecessary burdens
and open the paths that lead to peace and
prosperity. While free trade is impracticable.
industrial and commercial emancipation can
and Will he accomplished by wise and moder-
ate measures of reform, without interfering
with any private enterprise or iniuring any
public interest. To this some of us, at least.
are irrevOcably pledged, not only by the trs-
ditions and declarations Of the political party
" " hiSu w z OCiOHS, DuI ny sense or
sonal and official duty, which cannot be disre-
garded without tetrayiug the confidence re-
posed IN US by the people. Whether in
public or private life, 7 shall stand by that
pledge. AID. to the extent of my abilities and
opportunities, contribute in every wa, to the
only and complete triumph of revenue re-
form.
MELVILLE W. FULLER,
of Chicago, responding to the toast 1.-THE
PanIhIi, do Oh 49, 1.
and powerful address, maintaining that true
prosperity and progress are to be secured
not by the omnipotent paternalism of the
state, but by the maintenance of peace. and
leaving of idleness and folly to their natural
punishment, and industry and intelligence
to their natural reward. There was no
reason. he said, why the tOiling millions
should continue to be deprived of their due
share in the results of their laborS. They
have power to obtain an equality of burden
and all equality of distribution. but clearly
cannot secure them by following the leader
ship of those whose self-aggrandizement de-
ponds upon the opposite.
W. A. I. SPARKS,
commissioner of the general land office in
in speaking upon The Public Lands the
Peoples Heritage for Homes" gave his
views upon the proper policy to be pursued
by the government in regard to each class
of public lands. He referred first co lands
that had been granted to railroads. He
held that while the obligation of the gov
eminent. so far as incurred, must be car
red out, the effects of doubtful and mis-
taken land grant legislation must not be SO
magnifed that while requiring of the gov
eminent strict compliance in its part of the
contract. the corporations shall be allowed
unlimited license to violate theirs.
1t was true that it takes
two parties to make bargain.
and it was equally true that the failure of
one party to the contract is a release of the
obligations OF the other. He was prepared to
say that in grants amounting to ITO. 900. OOO
acres there had been no such compliance
with the law by the companies as binds the
government to any legal obligation in re-
spect to granted lands. By the Northern
Pacific railroad alone nearly forty million
acres of the peoples heritage for homes
was being unjustly withheld. An act
should be passed declaring forfeitures of
grants, if only to the extent of the portions
of unconstructed roads at the time fixed by
law for their entire completion.
Such an act. while measure
of partial justice only; would yet
De only calculated dement,,
by restoring to the people for settlement
and free homes not less than seventy
million acres, and would leave to companies
at their average price of lands more than
enough to meet the legitimate cost of the
entire construction of their roads, The
great land grants to private individuals.
Commissioner Sparks said, were nearly all
made for colonization purposes, and are not
binding unless the conditions involved
have been complied with. His character
izatOn of the grants was almost
equally sweeping with that of railroad