The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1891-12-25
uSwIsE LEdIsLATiON.
Dec. II 1891.

Editors Democrat.
Capitalists in waShins ton City interest
ed In procuring money from the treasury
Of the United States 10 enrich the private
owners Of stock In the "NIcaraguan canal
corporation have sent out petitions 10
various parts Of tie country asking the
people TO demand that congress appropfi-
ate money 10 assist the canal enterprise (.
White, no doubt, the canal would be OF
great benefit TO the coast, II It not wrong In
principle 10 take money from the national
treasury, money wruns from an already
high taxed people, 10 build up o, or any,
private enterprise.
For the government 10 appropriate
money 20 build up the navy, goyerhmeni-
al buiIGings. and to improve al property
owned by ii in fee simple. Is not only con-
stltutIoaal bat Is proper and light, yet
when the government goes beyond this
aad appropriates The peoples money TO aid
private capitalists, IL, ia the humble opinion
of your correspondent, no. only uneonstI-
tutional, BAT altogether wrong. The peo-
pie should be SLOW 10 prtiiioning congress
to aid The "Nicaraguan canal cofporation,' >
or any other private enterprise. There
has already been too much special legisia-
ton for the private lew and 1. Is certainly
time halt was shade along that line. 1t
may be we'll counted on that II the canal
enterprise will pay, a. most people think
II will, that private capital will build II,
without the peoples money being used
that way. l. II no, wrong In principle
to say becau II some OF the money In the
national treasury was given TO private cap.
italists that they would build a structure
that would benefit us. an therefore the
money Of the many should be turned over
TO few Tor That parposel Such line Of
policy would afford an opportunity to
every capitalist io knock at the vaults OF
"Unsle Sam" and cay ,iortooih, because, I
have some money. now therefore, the Uni
ted States must tax the people 10 raised a
fund for use, that may use II not TO build
q structure for the United States but To
build up an enterprise that will enrich me
individually. 4 man might with an ARMED
ship steam Into the harbor Of Rio Janeioro
and tay TO the BrszilIans, pay me half
million dollars or will lombard your
city. lie might induce them to pay him
a half million and afterwards bring It here
and build up great enterprises OF benefit to
US, but would any one say that TO acquire
money In that way would be right because
Of benefit to us' Now, when the money
WIRING from the people BY taxes are reck-
leSsly paid out 30 build up Srivals enter
friss il not the goyernmet.t using the peo-
pies moEey for purposes other than gov
ernmental--in o.her words is not such n
use OF the nations money Illegal and
wrong In prine!ple'
For the government TO tax the people
for any other purpose save and
raise revenue to carry on the
ment economically administered
and when n tax or a
'1sacHt uDk 10 carry on or outlQ
mental works and pfore rty owned by the
government, bat to build up and protect
private capitalists, then in the opinion OF
your correspondent, the government uses
Its powers Illegally and unwarran,ed under
the laws of oar republic, and is simply as
s!sting In the perpetration of fraud upon
the people BY taking the taxes exac,ed from
Its citizens under the plea that the money
Is needed for pubic purposes, when, In
TACT. II Is diverted 10 the channels of the
capitalists OF The country who, by their
begging and corrup;ing our national leg
islatures have, SO, far, blinded so many Of
of the people Of our country ~ TO Great
to some extent a sentiment, that the na-
tlonal treasury is thing 10 be looted, and
that the government Of the United States
ID such "Great Father" that 1t should tax
one half Of the people In order to pay or
give to the other half enough to live on.
The government OF the United States
should pay its employees, itssoldiers, and
those who deierve pensions literally; it
hould, 1t does. always meet It's obliga-
tions and take c;re of its own property
and attend to the matters delegated to 1t
by the several states by their power of at
torney, Wig, the "constituticn Of the United
States" bat to appropriate money to build
up private enterprise never, no never, was
such power given to it, is the opinion of
your subscriber.
GEO. w. WKIGHr.