The Press., 1888-05-31

one of the functions of government is to protect persons. Property, because the protection of property is also a function of governments.
 The person or thing protected should pay for protection. A tax of five or leu dollars eff such should be found the prop. CT amount) upon each person of mature age, or exercising the right to vote in our national affairs, would insure an interest in such persons in the mode of expendinR that money and in the perpetuity and we'll being of his government tax pro-nta upon all the property of the country, whether owned by citizens or aliens, would secure the abiding interest of all owners. Thus each person or thing would pay just share of the burdens of government, and not as under the external or duty sys. tenn, the poor consumer pays on his food and clothing of daily necessity to protect the property of the millionaire now escap. ing taxation.
 The agriculturist would then go forth to his labors with the assurance that what. ever his soil and climate would produce to the best advantage could be freely ex- changed with those of his own or other countries, and each studying the peculiar advantages of his location would become q true economist in obtaining the best DOS. sible results of his labor.
 The manufacturer would locate where the natural power. could be found to move his ponderous machinery, and the raw ma. terial for his use be obtained. The brick maker would not locate where no clay is to be found.
 To political economist all Legislation which attempts to thwart the laws of Prov ldence appears unwise or foolish. That the United States should have 80 long per. sisted in the attempt seems astonishing, and, in view of the light thrown upon the subject in the latter part of the nineteenth century, we are amazed that it should Joe made the rallying cry of party.
 But we are told we must protect our in. dustries, and labor must not be reduced tn the level of the "pauper labor of Europe" 1t is proper here to remarkable dollars or cents produced by labor for a month or Il year are not the true measure of its value. It is the buying 1pos0cT of those wages. The laborer receiving for his weeks wages ten dollars, may find that when exchanged for necessary articles for his family that he has produced less for those ten dollars than six dollars would have purchased in some other country. For his sugar he has paid two and half or three cents per pound more than his competitor in Eng. land. For his clothing aud the blankets to protect his family from the inclemencics of the weather he has paid nearly double. For almost every article he has bought the price Is enhanced in consequence of the tariff taxation, and even the salt on his ta. be is taxed.
 Nor is this enhanced price confined eu. tirely to imported articles consumed. Do mestic productions are also enhanced in price, because the producers of those are also Ill turn taxed on exchanged products. The farmer and farm laborer must have more pay for products and labor because the articles they buy are dearer in cousp quence of this tax on imports
 The blows and other agricultural implo. ments are dearer in consequence of the tlu- ty on iron and steel, and even the nails in the farmers barn and in the shoes of his horses do not escape. Therefore, the meat, bread and provisions of the laborer are dearer, the rent of his house, a tene. ment is dearer, because he who builds must pay dearer for material and labor
 In short, these enhanced prices run all through the list of necessaries, as well as luxuries, and the wage earner will find that the large wages offered, and which looked so tempting, have left nothing behind hut delusion and disappointment.
 Shall, then, the laboring and middle classes, which constitute the great majority of the people, continue to pay for the sup port of the government, while the protect. 1 ed property of the rich escapes ?
 In addition to the necessary expenses ol the government, shall this army of collect ors of revenue from customs be forever saddled upon the people, eating out their substance, demoralzing their politics tempting the people to fraud and smuggl ing, and, like flaming sword, standing between the people and their neighborr beyond a geographical line, with whom true freedom demands uninterrupted in tercourse.
 Walls between nations are made by man, and not by mans Creator. We reach then the conclusion that true economy and jus. tice demand direct taxation for the support of government. The trade and free inter. course of peoples and nations lead to the development of natural resources, and commerce becomes the pioneer in the march of civilization, which christianity enhances by engrafting upon the masses the conviction of the brotherhood of man. National independence becomes more powerful than armies, or navies, in the preservation of peace, and in its full de velopment would render war almost i'm possible.