The herald., 1894-04-21
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SATURDAY, APRIL Ell. 1894.
Tbs LOWER DOG.

The under canine stands poor chance
in this country. II once on his back it
is difficult for him to get on his feet
again. The little dogs have nothing to
do but to keep out of the way OF the
big ones. The unemployed and va
grants hear but few exoressions of sym.
pathy. Kicks and cuffs for com plain.
ing is about all they get. Tne laws are
made for the rich aud not for the poor.
Il is for the strong that congress sits
and deliberates, and not for the weak.
No rich man ever pays more taxes
than he ought. but nine-tenths OF the
poor and industrious people pay more
than their just share. II the capitalist t
is assessed above what he is entirely
willing to contribute toward the public
expense, an accommodating board Of
equalization affords him relief, while the
man OF industry, from whom springs the
wealth Of the country, finds no such
favor. The frugal mans only COW, his
spotted pig and last chicken are listed
for taxation by the careful assessor; but
when it comes to the rich capitalist, he
has little property that the scrupulous
officer can find. How much, we would
like to know, 10 the aggregate assessed
capital OF the banks of Los Angeles? II
the assessment rolls were to be accepted
as authority, there would hardly be
enough capital in the whole twenty of
tbhaY bssYFa. Z" EtrSsr }Str tHie lAUAeYkr
thev bankers, brokers, or whatnot, they
pay next to nothing in the way of
taxes. Every cent they are called upon
to contribute is piled upon the top of
enormous interest, and our wise. or
otherwise, legislators, can see no harm
in all this. They could not comprehend
the necessity of law limiting the rate
of interest. and declaring a violation of
it usurious.
1t used to be thought that laws should
be made for the protection of the poor
and weak against the Vaccinations of
the rich and strong; but the reverse, in
modern times, is the rule. Laws are
now framed to assist the rich in robbing
the poor. and our courts daily admin
lister such laws with the utmoss ex-
action. Armies of vagrants and
men out of employment are trampiug
over the country and hundreds Of thou
sands of innocent women and children
are suffering the keenest pangs of PEN
ury. Could this thing be in properly
regulated society, where the laws were
Just and equal? Did such thing over
occur in country where the laws were
made for the rich and poor alike and
!air& Rdministered7 People in general
seem to have a most inadequate concep-
tion OF the influences of the laws OF q
country upon it's welfare. AS a matter
Of fact a search of history will
show that countries always pros
per or decline in direct pro-
portion to the justnsss or injustice of
their laws. In this country the census
reports reveal the appalling truth that
our population is being rapidly con-
verted into two unequal classes, namely,
millionsires and paupers. 1t is in vain
to deny that this result flows from the
administration of public affairs. The
tendency has been steadily in this direc-
tion for the past thirty years, and under
every administration, since the time OF
Lincoln, apparently with accelerated
speed, until at last "e se9 what we see.
Let US hope that although We have sown
the whirlwind of bad legislation we may
escape the reaping of the cyclone OF its
dire effacts