Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-07-06
THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR.

Hon. Thomas @. Sherman, Of New
York, iectured in Portland last week
on the single tax theory. The follow
ing extracts show that he has his ideas
in regard TO the matter:
What IL the evil Of our day and ma
tionf AL agree that IL ia the enor-
nous and ever increasing chasm which
divides the very rich and the poor.
A very few possess gigantic fortunes,
far too great 10 give them any enjoy
ment. They are oppressed with their
wealth. On the other hand, the vast
majority Of the American people are
very p'or, possessing little more than
a small stock Of clothing. furniture
and tools. This discrepancy is con-
tinually increasing. Thirty years ago
there was hardly one man in the
United States who was worth 5000
600 and very few were worth even
III 900. 600. To-day the possession Of
81 ,0Q0. 600 10 no mark OF distinction,
and there are probably more men
worth Is. 200, 600 each than there were
forty years ago worth $780, 900 each.
Fortunes OF go, 600 900 are compare.
lively common. Fortunes Of $780,
000, 900 are well known 10 exist Ia sew
eral cases. Forty years ago such an
accumulation Of wealth would have
been deemed far more impossible than
we should now consider a prediction
that some one man should be worth
I'll 900 .000, 900 in the course Of another
forty years. About three-fifths III all
the annual savings OF the country falls
into the hands Of less than one-fortieth
Of the population. Within o period of
twenty years q majority OF all the ma
iional wealth viii certainly belong TO
this small fraction Of the people, and
within thirty years probably twc-thirsls
OF all tine national wealth will belong
10 about q twohundredths part OF the
American people.
1t Ia impossible TO suppose that a
real republican form of government
can long exist under such circumstan-
ces. The form will remain but the
reality win be gone. The men who
own vast majority OF the country's
wealth will insist upon making its
laws and will have the power 10 do 70.
Indeed, they have that power now and
when they combine they can not be
resisted.
On the other hand, the mass OF peo.
pie are very likely 70 revolt against
such state Of things. Some Of the
best men in public lifs belive We are
rapidly nearing the verge OF great
convulsion and that the very existence
Of society. Those who think that there
is no such danger simply because Ia
boring men are ON the whole receiving
higher wages and getting more iur
their money than they did 30 years
ago make great mistake. Popular
revolutions have always taken place
when the people have been in a
slightly improving condition; but still
have not obtained justice. When they
are crushed 10 the very earth, as in
India, Egypt. or i'm France under
Louis XIV, they have no power TO
combine o, conspire. But when they
are relieved from extreme pressure
they dc combine and insist upon their
rights.
Upon all these points there Is sub
stantial unanimity among all intelli.
gent men who study the course of
public affairs. There 10 also substan-
tiaI unanimity upon the principal
cause Of this dangerous state OF things.
AL parties agree that some just and
proper method OF taxation 10 the frat
condition Of national prosperity. One
party insists that taxes must be high,
and another that they must be low.
One party claims that these taxes
must be taken of. but both agree that
there is no question before the Ameri-
can people Of greater importance than
questions OF taxation, and that the dis
covery OF some just mode of leyying
taxes 10 the most important question
OF the time.
All agree that the present form of
taxation results In making the rich
richer and the poor poorer. IL 10 the
duty OF Christian men and women 10
study this question for themselves. 10
come 10 their own conclusions and
act upon their own Judgment. II is
useless 20 look 10 Statesmen for guild.
ancc. We have no statesmen. We
have many classes Of politicians, in.
GLIDING many upright aud prominent
men who might he statesmen il they
dared 70 act upon their own conyic-
tons and 10 tell the people frankly
what they themselves believe 10 be
right. No Christian can evade the
dutv which rcats upon him under "A
government like ours. We are more
OF less our brothers keepers. We all
are responsible for our beat efforts to
save and guide our wounded nation.
and il 10 our solemn duty 10 study
to study these problcms ourselves. 70
arrive at the best solution we can
reach. and. having reached il. to act