St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-07
THEY ARE RADICALS.
Congressman Tom L. Johnson
and His Followers Have
a Policy.
They Will Oppose Placing Du-
ties on Tea, Coffee and
Sugar.
Preparing an Income Tax With
All It's Injustice and In
equalities.
An Interesting Interview
With the Wealthiest SIN
gle Tax Advocate.

| Special to the Globe.
| WAsHINGroN, May 6.-Congressman
| Tom L. johnson, of the Cleveland, u,
| district, is young, enthusiastic, and a
man who has made success OF life III
every way, politically and financially
as well as socially. The latter part of
| this statement may be cOntradicted by
those who remember his slap at Speaker
Crisp at the banquet of the New York
Reform club few months ago. But he
is really one of the beSt-hearted, pol
shed and able men in congress, ana
whenever he makes "break' OF the
Reform club brand it comes from his in
tense earnestnesS. He is an ultra free
trader, we'll known as single tax ad-
vocate, and aspires to be the leader of
the radicals in congress-a position that
will doubtless be conceded him by this
small fraction of tie Democratic ma
jOrity.
Although Johnson is under forty
wears of age he has made fortune, and
has evidently set out to spend good
portion of it in politics. The people or his
district have great confidence III him,
and the Cleveland Democrats may push
him for the Democratic gubernatoridl
nomination against Mckinley this year,
in which case the eminent high tariff
priest will have to look to his laurelS.
However viewed, Tom johnson is all
interesting character. His opponents
may call him crank, but they Will not
deny his honesty, his courage, or his
ability. Worth more than a million, ne
favOrs an income tax rather than the
imposition of duties OH coffee, sugar
and tea for the purpose of raising reye-
nues for the government, that will allow
the material reduction Of the tariff along
the way toward free trade policy.
1.-The hardest fight we radicals will
have" said Mr.. Johnson, "iS to prevent
the levy of duties on tea, coffee and
sugar at the coming session when the
new tariff bill is being prepared. With
out question there will be dehclt III
the treasury, and congress will be COM
PEELED to increase the revenue OF the
country; then there will be consider
able effort made to repeal the
most glaring examples OF the pro-
tective humbug in the Mckinley bill,
and while there may be some reduction
in the expenditures, there will be
shortage and it can't be avoided. The
SouthernerS are already tired or the
sugar bounty; it is being attacked as
unconstitutional by Edward Atkinson
and others they realize at least that the
bounty Is short lived. The people see
too readily how they are being plum
dered when they see their money PAID
over to artificially bolster up an industry
that is old enough to stand alone"
The only alternative seems to be IN
oon,a 4ov y continued Mr. Johnson.
land, for my part, while that Is mani
testify unjust, as the least or TWO eVils L
would prefer the income tax to restor-
, lng the tax on sugar. Compare them
| for moment; the income tax is paid by
persons who have an income, say $1,000
| a wear. 1t is clearly unfair to Impose
| tax on thrift. industry and ability, put
not nearly so as to shoulder 1t upon the
| Door people by the tariff on sugar.
The poor people eat nine-tenths OF
/ the sugar of the country, there are SO
many more of them than OF the rich;
and on all average the poor eat quite as
much sugar as the wealthy. Besides it
seems so easy to put a duty on sugar;
there are 10 powerful agencies TO oppose
il: Inc rich don't care and the poor are
in no position to stir up opposition.
"The rich will oppose the INCOME
, tax" he went on, land the more they
oppose it, the more PIl be pleased, for
what am after is to call the attention
| OF the people to the question OF Taxa
ton. That is the great problem OF this
| generation and, as Charles Francis
Adams said recently, Henry George
points out about the only solution.
| Ultimately we will have to come to the
direct national tax, just as the states