Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-09-01
NEW IDEA INCOME rAx-No. II.

In all my letters heretofore published
under the above caption, it will be OBJ
served that have taken considerable
latitude to offer suggestions in the amend
ment OF laws best calculated to carry out
the most feasible plan of protecting the
heads OF families, against any and every
means used by the twin-Shylock leaders,
to rob the women and children Of their
homes.
EXEMPTION LAW THAT DOES NOT EXEMPT.
There is popular opinion in this new
state Of Washington, that we have sure
and liberal protection for the debtor and
his helpless family; but this is really
delusion, for we have no inhibition
against encumbering the homestead and
personal property exemptions. See Sec
ton 4S3, Hills code OF Washington.
Nothing herein contained shall be
construed to prevent the owner OF home
stead from mortgaging the same"
The real intention OF homestead ex-
emption should be to secure protection
for the family, and every family should
be protected against the reckless and
thoughtless husbands acts.
The family and society ought not to be
allowed to suffer vicariouslv for the in
considerate or rash act Of an IMPROVE
dent, unfortunate or dishonest husband.
This state should not legislate pauper-
ism to be supported at public expense;
neither should it permit one class Of citi-
zens to reduce another class to that con-
dition. Criminals and paupers are often
created by oppressive laws, and it is as
unjust for the wise to take advantage Of
the weak-minded, as it is for the muscu-
lar strong man to rob the effeminate and
weak one for no other reason than be-
cause of the superior strength. Laws
should be made to protect the weak,
physically as we'll as mentally.
The cumbersome, expensive, uncertain
and wasteful machinery Of the law, for
the collection of debts, is abhorrent to
all good business men; and it is neverre-
sorted to except as sort Of forlorn hope,
and then it's results are extremely unsat-
isfactory.
The question of a liberal homestead
and personal property exemption, should
be independent of the mere personal in
terests of the debtor and creditor class.
Hunger is craving, imperious and ire
sistible, and must be satisfied. Nothing
renders man so desperate as hunger,
and nothing renders him SO dangerous to
social society as the idea that his hungry
suffering for himself and family, is the
result of oppressive and unjust laws.
AS have before said, think it better
for this state, that the head of every
family residing within our bounds, should
have homestead and a competency of
personal property, placed by law, be-
You'd the grasp of the merciless money
loaner, and beyond the tax collector also,
for it costs much less to feed and clothe
a family on their own land, in their own
house, who sleep ON their own beds,
milk their cows, hoe their own potatoes
and make their own clothes, than it costs
to keep them in the poor house, at the
average cost Of 81 .26 per day.
What Washington most needs is, a
convention of the common people, by
the common people and for the common
people. We have had enough Of these
conventions held and manipulated by
foreign corporations, filled with delegates
composed of clerks and agents, Of for
eign corporations, nominating officers
solely for the benefit of foreign corpor-
atoms. The plain common people OF this
state, who live here, deserve rest, from
all such Ubiquitous frauds.
We have laws in this state telling our
business men and producers, what shall
constitute bushel of wheat or potatoes,
a ton Of hay or cord of wood, an acre Of
ground or gallon Of molasses, a pound
Of butter or yard of cloth, but We have
no law to tell the logger what shall con-
stitute thousand feet of timber.
We also have law that authorizes
the peremptory collection of taxes, at an
expense in many cases, of many times
more than the entire value of the prop
erty taxed. This law amounts to confis-
cation instead of taxation. We also
haye a law that taxes the poor man 81
even if he has no property; yet the con-
stitution of this state guarantees an adj
valorum system of taxation. 1t seems to
have been the great object of our law
makers in this new and beautiful state,
to impress upon the poor man, that if he
be allowed to enjoy his life, nothing more
should he asked. In all countries and at
all periods of history, there has been an
effort made by capital, to compel labor
to feel Inundated and thankful for the
privilege of being drawers of water or
hewers OF wood. This spirit knows no
bounds of oppression, has no conscience,
and is only limited by its rapacious de-
sire for greed and gain. Serfs often feel
honored by the privilege given them to
weld the shackles tighter. AT great ex-
pense and consumption Of much valuable
time and great care, the short comings OF
q narrow minded, reckless and very ex-
pensive legislature has been limited at,
fl ,,,oc,, .,rracf;ope for curo and Drofit-