Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-16
NATIONAL. INJUSTICE.
Ihe Few Becoming Rich at the Elk,
pense Of the Many.
fieas Put Forth Why the People shall
continue 20 be Bed by Taxation
Various Reasons for Being IndIg-
nant.

continue TO be Bed by Taxation
Various Reasons for Being IndIg-
nant.
The Union has TN argument that be-
cause Carnegie. tie millionaire iron man
utacturer. grew from poverty to wealth
under protection, that he would neces-
sarlly grow from wealth to poverty
under free trade" This is begging the
question. Carnegie is only one of the
favored few who have grown rich under
protection. There is no fault to be found
with any man growing rich. provided
that IN doing so be does not rob somebody
else. The complaint is made that com.
pAratively few men like Carnegie could
start poor short time ago and become
immensely wealthy. not by speculation.
not by thr #, nor by any ordinary legiti-
mate means. but because the government
threw around them the arm of protection
and permitted them to do an almost ex-
elusive business The government has
practically said to them, $50 into this
business. Whatever article you make the
people must buy. no matter how high the
price, because we will stand by you and
Keep the same kind of goods out of the
market by levying upon them such duties
that they will not be allowed to compete
with you. We know perfectly we'll that
all who buy these goods must pay much
larger price than they otherwise would if
We did not protect YOU, but nevertheless
that is the policy of the administration. 4"
What right or justice is there in the
government helping few manufacturers
to pile up fabulous fortune while the
farmer must mortgage his land to keep
himself aliveP What right has the gov
eminent to say that nearly everything
that the people of this country buy and
use must be taxed and everything that the
people have to sell must have its price
fixed in an English marketf What right
has the government TO say that
1t shall make the price Of a mans coat as
high as it pleases and let the people in
Liverpool make the price of his products
as low as they lize7 What right has the
government to keep CO instantly adding to
the rich mans stores and keep constantly
taking from the poor mans pittance2 Is
this government of the people, by the
people and for the people and yet they
can be robbed in this way9 Do the peo-
pie understand what is the matter? A
kind providence has this earth of ours,
teeming in wealth, and yet the people are
begging. This dreadful state of affairs
comes from the blindness and stupidity
yes. criminality-of those who make the
laws. Why is the earth's production not
more evenly distributed in justice2 Let
those who want to call this socialism, do
so. 1t is that Kind of socialism that does
not prevent any man by thrift and energy
and honesty and business methods from
acquiring competency or splendid for
tune. And let the law permit him to get
1t and let the law protect him in its pos
session. But let there not be singled out
by law few favorites who will gather in
the wealth of the nation while the rest of
the world is struggling in a hand-to-
mouth condition. Let these, too, have 9
chance; and although many of them may
not wish to anass fortune. they will at
least not be standing in hourly dread of
the sheriff. II is a startling fact that the
great bulk of he wealth of this nation is
in the hands Of a very few people. and
this condition of affairs is rapidly becom-
ing worse. Congressman Butterworth, a
Republican, re Gently said: II can name
upon my ten fingers men whose combined
profits in the last deca de have exceeded
Those of all the sgriculturists of any state
der what Is the matter. Men are but
children of q larger growth. and this
seems as true in their knowledge of ma
tionsI prosperity as in anything else.
1t is but a short time ago that this ques-
ton of oppressive taxation was brought
forcibly to the minds of the people. Be-
fore that time they went on blindly &C.
cepting the situation without making an eff
fort TO improve it. This the unscrupulous
took advants ge of and they wrested from
the people all they could bear, and more
1t was done under all sorts of DISCUSSES
and under all kinds of excuses, but il
never failed to be a leech-like and grind
ing policy The people stood it because
they did not comprehend it. One class
was told it was to raise their wages. ant
all were told it was to build up the coun-
ltry. But the man who was expecting
higher wages and thought he got them
was Obliged to pay so much more fo
everything ne bought, that he couldD'
understand how he was bettcred. L
seemed fair, but still there was something
wrong. he saw millions in the public
treasury and he saw people in Washing
ton fighting among themselves as to wha
was the best to do with it. He looked
on. and yet he was poor. The peop
saw, too, at the industries of the cOun
try were not in a prosperous condition
at least, it was said so, and that the
were Away going to the government AM
asking for help for fear that they nigh
become worse. No man or no class o
men could do that unless he had on hi