The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-21
An Endorsement Which Indorses.

years ago kAaG ne was q English
chancellor Of the ~exchequer who had
had the gift of making a budget
speech fascinating. lie could inpart
the charm of poetry and romance to
rows of figures. and lend to fiscal sta
tistics the quality Of novelty and en-
eaantrnent. something of this same
gift is the rare possession of an Amer
lean statist and reformer whose name
has become familiar t O those who nave
kept pace with modern economic and
social discussion. But it is to be
doubted whether the great Gladstone
ever was the master of statistical
tables that Thomas g. Sherman, the
eminent lawyer, has shown himself to
be, What in other hands would be
dry-as-dust columns of figures become
under the magic of his art the most
luminous and brilliant commentaries
on the politics, the craftsmanship, the
economics and the legislation of mod.
ern society; and l~ifeless oHicf reports,
touched by his genius, sEsak with
tongues of flame and carry.messages
to the thoughtful that the man VINO
wrote them could never have dltamed.
Mr.. Shearman has contributai much
to recent economic discussion ]. both as
q writer and as a speakeF;eand he has
always been able by the sheer force of
his splendid mental equipment to COM
mand 4 respectful and an intelligent
hearing. Holding opinions of the most
radical and uncompromising character
and presenting them with a sharpness
and a force that fairly cut their way
into recognition, he has yet escaped
the odium that usually falls to the lot
of the reformer; his name is not ~
rolled by the self-satisfied saviors OF
society in the roster Of eranks; and he
commands attention whenever he
chooses to speak.
And that his latest utterance de-
serves a hearing we think even those
who refuse to agree with him must
confess if they shall permit themselves
to examine what he has to say. It is
the LOS important as it is the most
careful and elaborate contribution he
has yet made to the literature of taxa
ton; and there is not one of its two
hundred pages that does not exhibit
fresh evidences OF his marvellous power
of telling the truth and exposing false
hood and sham and absurdity in a row
Of figures.
Mr.. Sherman has written and G. P.
Putnam's Sons, New York. have pub
fished Natural Taxation: An Inquiry
into the P~racticability, Justice and Eff
fects of a Scientific and Natural Meth
od of Taxation" and it is within
bounds to say that the book is nothing
less than a masterpiece in conception
and execution. Always clever and lu-
cid, Mr.. Shearman in the pages OF this
inquiry is that and much more. He is
powerful. impressive, convincing. His
logic is as keen and piercing as his wit;
his methods are perfect in their adap'
tation to the ends in view: and there
runs through it all the light of a high
purpose and a noble conviction that is
Illuminating and wonderfully effect
i've.
It is not the purpose here to review
this remarkable little volume. In fact
it would be practically impossible te
do il Justice in any article of ordinary
wsp length. The present OBJ
icct is merely to call attention to i
and to express our hearty appreciation
OF Mr.. Shearman's excellent achieve
ment His exposure of crooked taxa
ton; his striking illustration OF the
follv and the imbecility of taxen on
personal property; his brilliant and
acute studies of assessment rolls alo
census returns; his scathing rebukes te
the selfish and corrupt interests thai
maintain the existing system nndel
which the very poor pay ten Thousand
times as much for taxes. in proportion,
as the very rich; his unanswerable
presentation Of the argument for the
natural tax: and every detail t the l;
chapters through which he pursues his
theme deserves a separate mention
Rut want Of space forbids. and we car
hut commend Mr.. Shearman's nook a
4 whole and without reserve TO every
man and woman who wishes to under
stand question that touches both NOR
nearly than any other in the whole
social scheme, and we believe NOR
vitality. For. as Mr.. Shearman says
.sbad taxation is as certain to produces
bad government and bad social condi
tions. as is bad food to produce indi
restion and decay in the human body
And as no medicine, in the long run
can supply the place OF good food. $
nc other social reforms can ever bring
1 hacI%h Sc 3Dnu AZ uui1fSt. anC