The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-21

Inere mas been considerable SalQ
In f., S. & II by correspondents at
various times who wish to see taxes
all imposed upon real estate. am a
farmer, and wish to denounce it as a
robbery of the farmer. 1t is one step,
almost the last one, in the confisca-
tion of his lands. The only thing left
to be done to fully 'nationalize' the
farmers chief wealth is to :Se the
taxes a triffe higher. Farmers In
seeking to enact reforms TO give him
justice cannot afford to affiliate with
every schemer who Is urging some
thing he is pleased to call reform. !"
One OF the causes of complaint On the
part of the farmer is that his property
has had to bear an undue share OF tax.
alton. Now to make his and other
real estate bear the entire burden is
such fragrant outrage against his
rights as to be nothing less than
revolutionary. The farmers OF this
country have long been burdened by a
projection tariff, the promoters OF
which promised the farmers in return
for the increased prices they would
have to pay on account Of the tariff,
that they would have better markets
for farm products. This promise has
not been fulfilled. On the contrary
the manufacturing establishments
that have been enriched by the tariff
combine and work to annul the laws of
supply and demand.
Some of the leaders of these organ
izations are loud in demanding a sin
gle tax-On account. as they claim, of
the '.'unearned increment" land own
ers have secured. Are farmers to be
allured with this kind of bait?"-
James Reid, Farmer. Campbell Cou1,
ty, So. Oak.
There are times when honest men
have to strike hard blows, and il they
are trifle too hard it is the fault Of
the fool skulls that get in the way OF
the club. The psrity of whole
people is more to be considered than
the feelings of individuals.
AS to the other matter referred to
by Mr.. Taylor we would say this:
It was because we would be glad to
have the theories of socialism fairly
tested that we were enraged and in
0ignant to think that the Ruskin
Colony should drive out the man who
had made the Colony possible, and
whose genius kept it, as we believe,
alive. Our correspondent says that
Mr.. Wayland should have been con-
sistent to the socialistic theory. We
think he was.
Before the idea of a colony was
preached Mr.. Wayland built up the
Coming Nation" until it was esti-
mated to be worth $4,000 or $4,000.
The colonists, to the humble of thirty
six, put in about $500 each. Mr.. Way
land turned over the Coming Ma
ton" plant to the colony, last Octo-
ber:-that is he made them a present
Of $4,000 or $4,000. Was he not con-
sistent? AUthe receipts Of the paper ,cere
turned IN for the support of the colony; all
Mr.. Wayland asked was the privilege
OF working to build up the paper and
bring in more money for the thirty-six
corporators. But some of the corpo-
rators insisted that nothing should
be published by Mr.. Wayland until it
had first been submitted to them for
approval! The pressure upon Mr.. w.
became so intolerable that he could
scarcely write his editorials. About
Christmas he declared that he would
leave the colony, Coming Nation
and all. twas finally decided, to pre-.
vent general breakup, that four of
the most troublesome mem bers should
be discharged from the colony. Mr.
Wayland then asked. in order that he
might not be subjected to future in.
reference, of the same kind. that the
legal title to the paper should be
turned over to him. This was done
by vote Of large majority of the
members. Mr.. Wayland then volun-
tarily agreed that all the receipts OF
the paper, from $3.50 to 500 per week,
should be devoted to the building ur
| Of Ruskin! Then a new PRINTING
press had to be bought and Mr.. Way
land contributed largely to this out of
his own funds. 1t is true that the
separate ownership of the paper was
in conflict with the socialistic theory
on which the colony was founded, but
so long as all the proceeds of the pa
| per went to the colony the separate
ownership of the paper was simply a
means to enable Mr.. Wayland to write
his editorials without submitting
them to mob for revision. But the
malcontents raised another disturb
ance. They even threatened to hang
Wayland. One who has visited the
colony writes us:
st is sad; but who could expect
otherwise. What reformer has ever
been appreciated by those for whom
he labored? The. long line of heroes
tortured, beheaded, stoned, crucitied,
banished, attest that suffering hui
manity has always been ready to i'm
molate those who would help then !"
No one pretends that Mr.. Wayland
ever used any Of the proceeds of the
paper for his own use. The money
was always handled by other mem bers
of the association who kept the &C
counts and disbursed the funds.
Where else in the United States can
you find man who will throw $40, 600
or $l2 0OG Of his own property into a
common and general pool with thirty
six strangers, and continue to perform,
week after week, the most exhaustin g
mental labor and give them all the
proceeds?
And when this man is an especial
genius, and, as results show. especial
| ly fitted for certain kind of work, is
it anything less than outrageous
| lunacy, -Midsummer madness. - to
drive him away from his self-imposed