The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-12-29
W. G. II. u. Column.
CONDUCTED By MRS. NJ. l.. noBBs.
Political Economy.


- Condensed from an address q J. D smith. of Pad
can Ky, as published m the Independent u
kOtan.
" lhitiy-iivc years ago the wealth ,
this nation was Iairly well distribute
among All Glasses. and the members {
each c,ass, giving us nj that time bt
TWO millionaires, and not singl
tramp. To-day thirty-one lhousan
American citizens own three-fifths Q
the " ealth Of the nation, millionaire
are counted by the score. aud tw
millions OF our people are tramping il
search of work.
These conditions are not natural
nor have they grown out OF naiura
causes
la 1863 system OF national bank
was inaugurated under which tn,
government has been issuing pape
money based entirely on its owr
credit. and turning that money oycl
10 "A favored cas- al one per cent. pei
.nnum, merely 10 cover the cost OF
printing, aud the men thus favored by
The government have been loaninp
that money TO tnei, nelghbors, who
really had as much right 10 the use OF
II as themselves, at from 3 10 20 per
cent. per anDum and under this vi
lcious legislation, at least thirty five
million dollars u year, or one bill on
dollars in the aggregate. has been alb
stracted from the pockets OF the peo-
pie, and concentrated in the pockets
of the few.
"A more unjust burden was never
upon the honest industries OF
A nation since the dawn OF time. Yet,
while Republicanism stood squarely
oy this policy, Democracy has been,
ana is now on all sides Of the Ques-
uon, aud always sufficiently witnoat
any distinctive policy on it as To ig-
nore il entirely in platform making.
In 1850 aud 1856 the policy OF Civ
ing away our public lands 10 railroad
corporations was indirectly inaugu-
rated by the Democr ratic party through
heir distinguished senator, Stephen
4. Douglas, which was afterward
.sized upon aud extended by the Re-
publican party, aud became the source
of the great credit mobilier and land
steals that disgraced the nation; aud
under its provisions, more tnan two
nundred million acres OF our best
lands have been given away. And vt
50 equally guilty have the two parties
been in this legislation, SO unjust 10
posterity, that the subject has never
formed an issue between them II has
been asserted iu the halls OF Congress,
aud on ten thousand rOstrums all over
this country aud not denied, that the
Alcoholic drink bill OF this nation j.
Que binon and two hundred million
dollars per annum. tbs waste goes
through two hundred snd forty thous-
and dram shops. licensed by our fed
sral aud state governments, IN order
that we may receive one hundred and
forty million dollars revenue from the
business; and creates or increases
other channels OF waste, such as Grim
nal courts, jsiIs, penitentiaries. luna
tic asylums, poor houses, charities,
ioss of labor, and destruction OF pro.
perty to the amount OF one billion two
million more, which amount
mas TO be provided tor by direct tax
on the sober industries Of the nation.
Here then il a drain OF twenty-four
million dollars a year lcgis-
.aled upon the people in order that
The government may collect one hum
dred aud forty million dollars evenue,
Jn business that the United States
supreme Court says IL the greatest OF
all the sources OF crime ard suffering
to society, and would have no right To
.xist, were il not Tor slch legislation.
But the penalty Tor this Ill. gotten rev.
snue does not stop with this twenty
our hundred million dollars. otatis-
les show that more than ono thousand
wives are annually murdered by hus-
bands brutslized in these government
Iran shops, three hundred thousand
noe e are forced to do menial service
o support husbands thus brutaIized
i've hundred thousand children are
lying by the inch for the want of the
God aud clothing thst the money
.pent in them ought TO buy, and eighty
thousand men are annually killed by
hem
The corrupting influence Of this
has gone 10 congress and
gotten legislation under which IL has
,rected, aud is now enjoying, the ben
fits Of between four and five bousand
,onded warehouses, manned ty gov
'rnment clerks, in which II stores its
PRODUCTS receives certificates OF de.
,osit upon which 1t can negotiate for
money TO buy material out Of which .
o make more liquor TO store IN the
age houses, and then has three years
a which TO make sales and realize
Profits out of which TO pay its taxes,
y bile the government has it's corps OF
ieputy marshsls, like a pack Of blood
on the trail OF every other cit
zen who dsrcs 10 infringe its monop-
,lis,ic privileges.
SO many of the charges made BY the
,li parties against each other are true
hat IL Is clear neither IL lit TO be in
.rusted with the government.