The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1894-10-13
Letters From The People.
EDITOR MESSENGER

tainties, and all theories To escape elth-
or are fallacious. Then the simple cues
ton arises whom shall we tax the pro-
ducer or consummer. The producer
should by all means be free as possible
Of all burdens for 1t is tax on indus
try. The consumer is of course in many
instances the producer also. But stats
tics will show that three fifths OF the
voting population get a living without
adding to the worlds wealth and they
should be compelled to bear their snare
as consumers or become producers. Pro
fsssional men. middlemen. brokers, po-
li,icians, gamblers Of every kind are not
wealth producers, The first and only
class necessary to aid in the intelligent
PRODUCTION of wealth are tina Profession
al men whose education. and direction
are beneficial to the humble toiler who
is the original wealth producer. whether
farmer, miner, mechanic. or lab0rer,
The capitalist whose money is simply
accumulated labor, should have and
usually get his reward for his capital
whether loaned or invested in industrial
enterprises, trade, transportation. bank
ing or merchandising. Therefore II
seems to be only right that all consul
mers should be taxed to protect Amerl-
can producers OF al! forms Of wealth,
more especially the so-called raw ma
terials, for the socalled raw materials
are the basis of all manufactured goods
and are produced by the noblest OF all
mon the farmer, miner. lumber and la
boreI, who obey the Divine Injunction
and earn their bread by the sweat ol
their brow. 1t is unfortunate that these
people are not more and better inform
ed, but 1t is not ju-t that for such rea
son they should be deprived OF beneficial
legislation to give consumers cheap
food, clothing or any other necessities
or luxuries. To be consumer, natur
ally carries the idea with IT. that they
have the ability 20 pay for articles con-
stunned either ty labor or money. and a
their amount of consumption is in thei
own power of control and if said con
sumption il large or extravagant
should bear the burden Of taxation. II
!. illustrate the farmers, miners. mechan
o les and laborers. should be protected
i from foreign competition with the pro
o ducts of their labor. and these self sam
:. people rs we'll as all other consumer
y should be taxed on the article cOnsum
:; + ed, whether it be the product of farm
u Geld. factory, forest, stream, or mine, o
<, in other words if any human labor ha
Is been expended upon it. Then undo
At such conditions the harder The pradu
r Ger works. the greater his reward. Th
W. less said producer consumes the NOR
surplus he has. While with fee ray
materials. his earnings are too small
permit any surplus, unless he deprive
himself aud family Of actual necessi
ties, in which case physical deteriors
tion take place, preventing him froI
earning at all. The Republican and d.
mocratic parties are in direct cOn6it
on these issues. All the Republican
and some few Democrats believe in pr
tecting the labOrer, who produces Il
wealth. The dominant faction OF Il
Democracy wish 10 give the CONSUME
cheap goods and to do this is willing
reduce all labOrers to the same level
the foreign nations have reduced thel
In fact In England and the continent,
is necessary for the women and youu
children TO work in the fields and min
to produce enough to barely live. The
are undisputed facts and free raw m
terials the cause. The Republicans a
united as PrOtectionists Of American ];
Dor, and to accomplish this; tax q
- consumers to do it. leyying higher tax
on Injuries and lower on necessitl'
The Republicans 60 not believe q mate
ial is raw or shout! bs free if the hone
= hand of labor has been expended In
care OF production. Whereas the p'
sent Democratic platform declares t
Tariff is robbery, aud are especial
pledged to free raw materials. that
wool, coal, iron ore, lumber, salt &c.
they are raw materials &c Is rice and
line can be drawn to stop the absolI
freedom OF trade. which means, direct
r