Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-10-31
The System that Robs the Laboring
Man.

We hSPo w law VIZ P'ooSuio VI oh-
nouncing that Cleveland has again
been elected, and the people have de-
cided in favor of a reduction of the tar
iff taxes. The prospects of victory APP
pear bright TO us. This will be- the
last opportunity we shall have Of
speaking to our many readers before
the war of ballots takes place, and we
trust every one will vote as he con-
scientiously believes to be for the
best interests Of himself, his family
and his country.
When this campaign commenced
we resolved to abstain from all per-
sonalties, aud to advocate n reduction
of the present heavy and unjust tariff
taxes, to the best Of our ability. We
advocate reduction Of the tariff be-
cause we believe it right that n re-
duction be made because it is not
just to tax the people unnecessarily,
and because it is but robbery to tax
one man for the sole benefit of anoth-
err. An unnecessary tax is an unjust
tax, and the present tariff tax is an
unjust one, because it takes more from
the people than is needed to defray the
expenses of the government honestly
administered, and it also enriches a
few at the expense of the many.
A tariff is but tax. The greater
part is levied on the necessaries of
life, OF the s212,OOO,O0O of tariff
taxes collected during the year end
ing June 30th, 1887, the greater part
was paid by the farmers, mechanics
and laborers. The rich classes paid
but small portion of that immense
tax. Now why should it not be re-
duced! Why should the laborer,
whose yearly earnings are not suffi-
cient to keep himself and family in
decent comfort, be compelled to pay
unnecessary taxes, in order that hun
dreds Of millions Of dollars be piled
up in the treasury vaults, and in the
pockets of few favored ones? Those
hundreds of millions of dollars would
have done the people moro good, if
they had never been taken from them
by the tax collector. A law that
takes more from the people than is
needed to honestly pay the govern
ment expenses, is All unjust law. and
should be repealed.
Such system is ruinous to the peo-
pie. IL robs the poor man of part of
his small wages. 1t adds to the bur-
dens of the laborer. 1t diminishes
his life's comforts. II takes many neces-
saries of life from his family. 1t robs
him of what should be his. 1t causes
the wolff of hunger to enter his home,
and blight his fireside with its raven
Gus cravings. 1t is legalized robber
that feeds on the life of laborers, and
brings desolation and hunger, and
want, and misery, to the homes of the
people. 1t is class legislation where
by few thousand persons become
rich at the expense of the many. 1t
creates millionaires, trusts and monop-
olies. II fills Europe with American
tourists who 60 to foreign lands to
spend the money legally stolen from
the laborors. The tariff tax must be
redu ced, and the burdens of the peo-
pie lessened. The wages that man
earns belong to him and his family,
and law that forces him to give up
a part of those wages for the sole ben.
eft Of some other man, is an unjust
law that Iegalizes robbery.
Why should the people of Alpena
be taxed in order that Improbable
manufactures in the eastern States can
be made profitable? Why should the
people of this city be forced to pay
dollar or two more per to on the coal
they buy, just merely that Pennsylva-
MIA coal mine owners may have larg-
er dividends Why should the peo-
pie here be taxed to support glass
works, wooden factories, iron works,
sugar refineries, and other manufac-
lures in eastern States? Where is
the right and justice in maintaining
such business places, by compelling
Alpena people to pay large tax to
to aid them? 1t is not right 1t is
not Justice It is wrong! 1t is but
robbery of the basest kind which, un.
der the guise of law and hypocrisy,
forces the laboring men here to pay a
large share of their wages to corpora
tons and trusts.
The laborers have a way to get rid
Of this extra and unnecessary tariff
tax. They can put an end to the
robbery system by voting against it.
They can help themselves by voting
for themselves, in voting for those Of
ficials who are pledged to reform the
tariff, and next Tuesday is the day
appointed for them to say whether
they intend to continue the present
unjust system BY voting for it, or
they are determined to light
EN- their daily burdens by voting for
a reduction Of the tax.