St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-21
THE LIFE OF THE NATION.
1t Is Dependent Upon an Equal
ization of Its Burdens.
TO the Editor of the Clone

1t Is Dependent Upon an Equal
ization of It's Burdens.
To the Editor of the Globe
The American eagle will never bite
the dust unless it falls by an arrow
feathered from its own wing. The gov
eminent established in the blood of our
forefathers has demonstrated its ability
and power to live in the fires of foreign
war, and the white heat of one of the
most terrible internal Strifes ever known
to civilized nation. Enemies without,
or enemies within, can never shake it in
the affections of the American people.
The old flag, under which we have
grown to be one of the greatest nations
Oh earth, can never be diShonored or
trampled under foot, SO long as We are
true to ourselves and to the great prin-
ciples enunciated in that matchless
declaration proclaimed to the world on
July 4, 1776.
Others may differ with me, but he
lieve that George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln were two of the great
est men this country has ever produced.
The former, in his Farewell Address,"
pointed out the shoals upon which the
ship of state might at some time be
wrecked, and statesmen who followed
him had the good sense to be governed
by his wise suggestions. and up to the
administration of Mr.. Lincoln our gov
eminent had prOSpered beyond any of
the nations of the earth. Then came an
expensive, devastating civil war. but
the government, founded upon the will
of the governed, survived and became
stronger than ever.
AT the close of the war, and only
few days before his death. Mr. Lincoln
in writing to friend, said Il see dan
gers ahead which | fear more than war.
Immense corporations have been
formed and corruption has found
lodgment everywhere. The aggrega-
ton of capital in the hands of few is
a menace to the rights and liberties of
the people. and | dread to look to the
future, fearing for the safety of our
government" Had he been inspired,
he could not have foretold the future
more accurately. Are we drifting in
the direction of that state of things, or
have we reached it already?
The real and personal property in the
United States is estimated to be worth
the vast sum of SO, 1000, GOO, 600, and if it
were equally distributed among the 49,
100000 of American families would give
to each family the sum of 5000. I'm
fortunately for the comfort, peace and
happiness of our people, il is not so dis
tributed, but the fact is, that less than
10000 persons own and control more
than half of it. OF the immense wealth
of the country, three-fourths of it es-
capes taxation, because these large
possessions can be concealed from the
assessor, but the poor man whose all is
i'll sight is compelled to pay taxes upon
all that he possesses. Thus it is
that the burdens fall unequally
upon the rich and the poor
l hope it will not be considered out of
place if | refer to what seems to me to
be discrimination i'll favor of one class
of citizens and against another. The
tariff tax on diamonds is 10 per cent.
and on tinWare 250 per rent. The tariff
tax on Sealskin SacqueS is about 80 per
cent, but OH the imitation SealSkiu it is
over 100 per cent. Other items might
be mentioned. bat these are sufficient
for my purpose. 1t is thus seen that
articles used only by the wealthy are
admitted with a nominal duty, while
those used by the poor, representing 50
per cent of our entire population. are
taxed much more heavily. This should
be changed and the neceSSarieS of life,
together with all articles in general
use among the poor, should be admitted
Oil tile payment OF very low duties.
while articles of luxury and such other
articles as the wealthy can only use,
should be made opay the highest rates.
This statement requires no elaboration,
and will be accepted by all fair-minded
people.
The large bodies of producers in this
country are becoming educated on the
issues of the day. The farmer with his
hand upon the pillow, the laborer with
his pick and shovel and the blacksmith
at his anvil have been thinking of this
subject, and already they have learned
that the burdens incident TO the carry
ing on of the government fall more
heavily upon them than upon those
whose hands are unused to labor. This
great injustice to the laboring men aud
women may prove to be the arrow that
shall intlict wound, dangerous to the
life Of the government.
II w JOUNcON