The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-05-30
A MUGWUMP'S VIEWS !
His Letter to a Southern
Democrat.
HE STICKS TO CLEVELAND
He Strongly FayOrs the Graduated
Income Tax.

| He Doubts if our SO-CalIed Civilization is
Beneficial or Brings Happiness to the
People-What the superintendent of the
| Sugar Trust Said to His Employees.
"a private letter from a Northern Mug
wump to Southern Democrat
1t is serious question whether luxury
| does not in all cases produce oppression
of some portion Of the human race, and
whether our bOasted civilization is free
from the accusation of injustice to very
large portion of the people as opposed to
the plutocrats. Mary tells me that you
are quite philosopher, and that you are
much interested in considering the pc
litical future, which now appears to be
very dark for all except those who have
money enough to buy votes, legislatures
or congressman. For there is no use in
our denying that money can be so used as
to pass almost any unjust and oppressive
law for which those interested are willing
to pay in cash. in chances of stock gam
bling or in political influence. Each and
it is an almost impossible task to point
out any legislator at present who is not
open to some one Of these avenues of
corruption. [ also am of the same tenor
of mind and spend many hours trying to
devise some plan which would give more
justice to the people and less power to
the political or financial boss. In ex-
planation of what follows | should per-
haps say that in politics l am opposed to
the corruption found in both the great
parties of the country. | am "mug-
wump" pure and simple, and was one of
the original twelve mugwumps during
the Robinson Cornell campaign some
twenty years ago. Many tell me that
there is very strong feeling against
> Cleveland in the South, which [ am sure
is i'll advised. If the feeling was directed
against the representatives in both houses
of congress it would be more Just. Cleve
land has done all he can to urge the pas
sage Of the Wilson bill but has been be-
trayed by such men as Hill and Murphy,
of New York, and German, of MARYLAND.
| am firm believer in the general theory
of populist party but can see no evi.
dence yet that that party shows the least
evidence Of being able to be of any ser
vice because it does not appear to grasp
the main feature of reform. The mem.
bers go off into side issues of silver OF
e greenbacks or visionary schemes of max.
ing money cheap. Money is only a
measure Of so much human labor and il
it takes a days labor to extract dollars
. worth Of gold and only half days labor
to extract so called dollars worth o1
liver, no amount of legislation Can
make them equal. What difference does
l., it make whether we measure with yarC
stick or with foot rule. We come tc
the same thing in the end. The grea
argument for gold standard is that it rep
resents the highest value all over tht
world and the poor man is inter
ii ested in getting the highest value fo
o his services that can be obtained
If the populist party would only
find out what they really wanted anC
d would then vote for it would be sure tt
e succeed. 1t is self evident that the work
Il ing people of this country being in tn,
majority can get any thing they want
but the first thing is to find out wha
they really do want. By working peo
r pie | mean those who work with eithe
n brains or hands. They and the origina
J. tors are the only useful people in th'
:, world. The curse of this country wa
well told by the prophet when he said
"The love of money is the root of al
It evil" Now how can we take away tha
81 love Of money from our people? Eas,
If enough by taking away the power o
money. But how TO take away the powe
of money: By limiting any one man
u power to either possess or bequeath be
n yond certain amount. | am told tha
2. any laws to that effect could not be en-
forced and would be evade4 by the rich
which is another way of ging that tn
millionaires cannot be forced to obey tn
laws. If that is so the sooner they ar
forced to obey them the better for thi
:, country. 1t is the poor man who pay
- the taxes and who gets the least benefi
from them and from the administrator
81 of the laws. l GO not say this from an,
, personal feeling of bitterness, for l an
4 very we'll content with my Lot in life.
am to large extent a philosopher ant
see every day the injustice done to tn
poor. Neither can it be said that am
t. vain visionary, for in my business l an
al looked upon as a rather hard headed man
u Take for instance the sugar tax of cen
IS per pound on refined sugar, which mean
that every man, woman and child in thi
IS country is paying tribute TO that mon
strous and unholy trust. And the poo