The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-01-12
GETTING RID OF THE SURPLUS.

To the Editor: Every farmer through
| out this county owes debt of gratitude
| to Mr.. Banker Schuette. Why? Because
his plan of getting nd of the surplus is
| 50 immensely just and so astonisningly
ingenious. Let the tax ridden and
tariff crushed farmer gaze upon his
wonderful plan and then stand in
awe of the intellect that conceived it.
Manitowoc city is assessed at 81 100000
and in accordance with his peculiar
method must receive 81, 800 as her share
of the sway" Two Rivers is assessed
at 100000 and according to the same
beautiful plan would receive $1,000.
Kossuth wholly agricultural township,
is assessed at more than 100000, or
about one-haf as much as the city Of
Manitowoc, and following the same
magnificent idea would get-would get
simply nothing. Meme, with its assess
ment of 100000, would be in the same
fix. Mishicott would be absolutely bar
red and in fact SO would every other
town in the county.
Did it ever occur to Mr.. Schuette that
the cities of Manitowoc and Two Rivers
together are assessed at only about Is
per cent. of the entire valuation of this
county and consequently pay but Is per
cent. of the general tax? Did he ever
know that the farmers of this county pay
the balance, or 80 per cent of the same
tax? Did he ever dream that the farmers
OF this nation contributed about the same
percentage to the mountain of surplus
now locked up in the treasury? When
he fashioned his wonderful method of
scattering the surplus, did he ever think
that the poor, ignorant farmer under our
accursed tariff laws contributed much
the greater part OF that same surplus?
Why, of course he did. Mr.. Schuette is
too intelligent to ignore these questions.
And yet he doesn't wish to give these
same struggling farmers one cent of the
swag but confines it al, to the cities
where bankers, brokers, store keepers
and shylocks of every description can get
a rousing whack at it.
I have a much better plan: There arc
about five millions OF people in this
country who voted for James G. Blaine
in 1884 Divide it among them. They
will take it. This would give every
Blaine voter something less than 500. |
Ry fhi, ,,,otbol ~ he
would reach the farmers because alas and
alas, many of them voted for the smirched |
The president would sign |
such bill in holy minute. 1t would
knock the surplus pile to smithereens
and bring balm to many sorrow laden |
heart. Under its provisions five or six |
thousand dollars would fall to the lot of |
Meme. Mishicott would receive pretty |
little nest egg while Liberty and Newton
would come to the scratch smiling. In |
fact every town in the county would get |
Certainly, democratic farmers won't |
grumble at this. IT'S said they did |
nothing to save the country and they
ought to get nothing in return. They
don't expect any of this wonderful sur
plus and it doesn't bother them a bit. |
ALI they want is the passage of measure
that will bring them cheaper clothing,
cheaper coffee, cheaper lumber, and to be |
brief, cheaper everything that is neces- |
slty for their existence. snake the rich |
L., e 4 I
allow us to purchase in any market that |
We please" ought to be the motto of
every farmer.
As to the disposal of the surplus, we
shall patiently await the pleasure OF |
congress and see whether it shall adopt |
Mr.. Schuette's plan or mine. In the
mean time most respectfully call that |
gentleman's attention to the words Of |
the poet;
THE best laid plans of mica and men,
Aft gang aglee."
JOHN CAREY