St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-16
The Raising of Revenue.

CHICAGO, Ill.,, Oct. 12.-lt is exceed
ingly gratifying to the true Democratic
heart to read an editorial that has the
true ring, especially when it takes the
broad and righteous ground of 4 recent
editorial in the GLOBE.
There are many that believe with you
(and the member is constantly increaS-
Ing) that lit is the mission of the Demo
cratic party to move forward" and it is
clear that it must move forward or fall
down and be tramped in the mire by
the increasing columns of the reform
army. There are many who believe
that the party should adopt the Amerl-
can system of getting revenue by di
rect tax appOrtiOned among the states.
and that an income tax is but little less
infamous than tariff. Buff the DEM
Ocratic party does move, and direct tax
alton is reSorted to, where shall the
states seek the revenue which they
must raise in addition to that already
raised by them for local and state pur-
poses? Shall they tax the crop raised
by the industrious farmer, and the stock
of goods brought into town by the en-
terprisng merchant? Shall they pile
up occupation taxes, and Seek DV high
liquor licenses to make the appetites
of the people support the burden OF
government? Shall they tax food, and
make food scarce and more costly? Shall
they tax clothing and fuel, and thereby
make 1t harder TO get fuel and clothing,
and cause the poor and needy 10 suffer
from cold? Shall they tax money, and
thereby make it harder for enterpriSing
men to get money to carry on bust
ness? Shall they tax capital, and drive
capital from the state and the capitalist
To fraud and Subterfuge to avoid taxa
4 l..
and farming implements that cannot be
hid, that the farmers may pay more
than their just proportion of the taxes?
Shall they collect their taxes in q way
that Will reduce the production of
wealth all over the state, and put the
burden upon the shoulders Il asst able to
bear it? Shall they tax people so they
will leave the state as fast as possible,
or tax things in way that people will
hear of MinneSOta'S prosperity and flock
there to live? These questions are i'm
po:tant in view of the fact that state
option and direct tax may come some
day, and in the providence OF God
hope it may come soon.
Taxes can be laid so that people will
flock to Minnesota add make Minnesota
people the most prosperous and happy
people in the world, and Minnesota's
example will soon force the rest of the
world to follow her. She has only to
cease taxing wealth aud collect her
revenues from privilege, and the thing
is done. The value that lnhereS In Min
nesota'S soil came from the presence of
the people upon the soil, and not from
anything that the owners of the legal
title to the soil did, This value is a
purely monopoly value, and if it is al
lowed to be taken by individuals blocks
| the way to the increase of wealth by
causing the natural opportunities to be
| bought up and held out OF use by men
| OF speculative turn of mind, in hope of
| future profit. Men who would use
| these opportunities and give employ
ment to labor in producing wealth are
| deferred by the high price asked for
LAND by the monopolist. Those whose
courage is greater than their discret ton
often venture to try to satisfy the de-
mandS of the monopolist and fail,
| bringing ruin upon Others also.
Speculation in land is the undoubted
| first cause of all panics and commercial
revulsions: and shall Minnesota place
| her taxes i'll way to encourage the
| Spectator aud the panic maker, or in 4
way to encourage the actual producers
| of Wealtn-the laDOrer, the artisan, the
! mechanic, the merchant, the banker,
| the professional man and the farmer?
1t is to be hoped that when local option
comes the people of Minnesota will
have come to believe that the taxation
of wealth discourages the production of
wealth, and that the rental value of
| land of any country, being the product
of the activities of all the people of the
country. is the only legitimate source of
revenue, and should be taken by the
people for the use of the people, and
that to tax the product of labor is to rob
the laborer. If they shall have reached
that conclusion by that time, happy in
deed will be the condition OF Mime
sofas people. GEORGE ". WELLS,