The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-27
MIR KAySER on PETTY INTERESTS"

Petulant denunciaton never avails foI
much. 1t is far more likely to indicate
weakness in the dcnouncer than in the
thing denounced ThCre are many earn
est men in Washington city at this time
who are most seriously engaged in repre-
senting 10 Congress that the unequal
burdens which Mr. Wilson's bill seeks 10
impose unfairly upon different interests
will produce injuries to them that are
not fairly theic due OF these men. Mr..
Rayner Of Maryland. has nothing better
TO say than that they are impeding the
progress of the Democratic party by
olamoring for attentions TO their petty
interests"
Mr.. Rayner did such eminent service in
behalf of sound money during the debates
which preceded the repeal of the Sherman
law. that he disposed reasonable men
very favorably towards himself and they
had reason to expect better things of
him than this.
Mr. Rayner should recollect that while
the business Of man out Of which he
makes the support Of himself and his
family may seem petty to him. it is
anything but petty to the person who
conducts 1t and it has a size and import
ance in his eyes which far overshadows !
those businesses that are of no concern |
10 him. but which impress Mr.. Rayners |
mind with respect and awe on account of |
their great proportions. Nor is he to be |
censured or denounced from pointing
out TO Congress that proposed legislation
will ruin his business II that legislation |
violates those fundamental principles of |
equality and justice on which all laws
should be founded. OF what moment is
II to him that some trust or Towering mo-
nopoly may have its profits curtailed
or even that it should absolutely fail,
compared with the laws of this country
being so framed that they shall bear on
him no harder than they bear on others?
zen to come before his national Legisla-
ture and demand that his business inter
ests shall fare as. well as the best, and
IL rs not creditablc to either the head or
the heart of a member of Congress that
he shows a disposition to turn the cold
shoulder to any citizen merely because
the relief for which he prays is TO an
interest which that member with his
large way of looking at things think,
petty"
Mr.. Rayner, following his file-leader
Mr. Wilson, thinks he is taking a very
vide and enlarged view OF human rights
when he so adjusts the revenue laws of
This government that they impose burdens
upon the property of some men while
hey relieve the property of other men
rom all imposition ;. Mr.. Rayner and his
e-leadcr are very far from having the
of the best thought in TIE
Democratic party when they take this
view OF the case. Mlsled by the mirage
Hhich las blinded their eyes. they are
10 force everything TO yiell
% false dogma that they put forward.
nat good sense and policy demand the
Exemption Of what they call raw mate
l1is' from taxation. 1t is the falsest q
md most misleading dogma ever put for
'ard. There aie no such things as raw
in the sense OF which they y
peak Of them. Coal is ninety parts labor =
ten parts material. More than one -
sif OF wool is labor. Coal is a finished =
roduct In the hands OF the miner. and .
'ooi IN the hands Of the farmer They V
ave no risht. therefore, to arbitrarily
* one species Of property as raw ma
erlal and. therefore. TO be exempted y
rom taxation whilst another species Il
'ich they, In equally high-handed fash II
IN. tas as finished product is made 10 :
ess all the taxation that is imposed. 81
Following this false theory they nave u
onseoueniiy fallen into most egreglous
rrors and In no case more palpably than m
that OF steel rails. X
Mr.. Wilson stated In the House ON Ian "
airy 18TH. that his committee had ascer- al
incd from the Governments Department tr
labor that II costs s. more to manu- =, =,
'c'ure steel rails Ia this country than
broad lie knows nothing Of the SUBJ ps
'ct when ne says this. Steel rails. as ns
= nave shown. can be manufactured for Of
tile, IL any more than steel bilets. Steel w
iets sold In America In December for gl
alef The lowest that steel rails have ~ ~