The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-10-28
A SHIRTLESS NATION,
JOHN SHERMAN, WHOSE PECU.
LATIONS AND SPECULATION
On SIS, 900 a Year Has Melted Him
500, ZOO, 900 Would Tax the
Shirts off the Backs of
the People.
tCa.lNaY Times.l

Taxation, like the poor, is always
with US. Taxation and death are the
two incvitables. To be born is vast
ly more serious want than to die.
JOHN SHERMAN AND CESAR.
Before Christ was born, Cesar Au-
gustus is d decree to tax the
world. 1t is debateable question as
to how much the subjects of Caesar
were taxed. but it is not probable that
Cesar was half as cruel as John Sher-
man, the pal Of the Rothschilds, who
was willing to tax the shirts off the
peoples back to pay tribute to shy
locks.
SHERMAN'S DECLARATION.
AS officially reported, in the Con-
gressional Record, May Goth, 1890, page
SO. John Sherman said in the United
States Senate: II am willing to take
that bill as it came to US from the
house, and IL 1t is not sufficient to sup
ply tie necessary revenues. let us add
tax on tea, a tax on coffee, or a tax
on anything; for. as l said on former
occasion, l would vote for q tax on
anything; would take the last shirt
off the backs Of the people of the
United States rather to violate the
public faith Of the government.
And John Sherman and his pals have
taxed the shirts ''off the backs" Of
millions Of poor people to pay gold to
q gang OF pirates who were not en-
titled to il.
THE HISTORY OF THE SHIRT.
1t is recorded that the shirt was
first generally worn in the west of
Europe, about !, 100 years ago. A. D.
1883 WOODEN shirts were commonly
worn in England, when coarse linen
shirts were imported from France. II
Cesar and his officers and army, when
they invaded England wore shirts.
they did not leave any OF them behind
when they retreated TO be washed or
taxed, and John Sherman, therefore.
has won his place in hiscory, among
other infamies which attach to his
name, as beirg the first man to recon-
mend the taxing Of the poor mans
shirt.
JOHN sHERMAN's FEALTY TO SHARKS,
John Sherman has, doubtless. tax
ing record which out Herds Herod.
or out Caesars Caesar. He saws he
would vote to tax anything" No
other tyrant the world has ever
known, has said that John Sherman
speaks for the Republican party, for
all gold-bugs. regardless OF party
badge or shibboleth. To pay the "coin
bearing" bonds Of the government in
gold, he and they, would tax collins:
every nail In coffins-would tax the
win ding sheets of the dead. He SAYS
he would tax anything," which means
everything; and under John Sher-
MANS policy, almost everything is
taxed from cradle to coffin; from a
shlngle to a shirt; from spade to
spoon, until wOrkingmen are down
like kneeling camelS to receive their
burdens.
REVENUES OF GOVERNMENTS.
1t is not more trite than true, that
labor supplies all the revenues of gov
ernments, No one controverts the
proposition, and this being admitted,
labor Is profoundly interested in the
question OF taxation, the only means
by which governments obtain revenue,
For governments to create debts is an
easy matter To obtain the means
wherewith to pay them. John Sher-
man, the Republican party, and gold
bugs of every name. would TAX the
shirts of the backs Of the people,"
THE sHIRT-sTRIPPING PROGRAM.
Taking the shirts off the backs of
the people is not a mere figure of
speech; not rhetorical flourish. The
process has been in vogue In all civil
lied and heather lands since the
deluge, and shirtless tribes of poems
COOLIES al 4 Il NIB
cruelty 1t has been pursued by the
John Shermans of the nations. In the
United States the taxing the shirts off
the backs began about the year 1866,
In 1885 the debt Of the United States
amounted to less than $38,OOO-prac.
tically no debt at all-then the Door
mans shirt was secure. From 1886 to
1860 the debt had increased from 81
613 to $64, 842, 267, an increase in the
twenty-five years OF $64,SO4, TIA, and
still there was no declared purpose to
tax the poor mans shirt off his back:
but at the end Of 1865 the debt was.
oi1lcially stated, ,31l.918, an in
crease in four years of 81, l56, 5O7 ,144.
Then began the battle in which peo-
pie have been trying to save their
shirts from the "rapacity of bond
sharks, but millions OF them have lost
their shirts.
PAYING DEBT AND INTEREST,".
According to statement prepared
by the chief Of the United States
Treasury Bureau, the government has
paid on the principal Of the debt dur
ing the past thirty years, 81, 605, 1O9,-
1853, and interests to the amount of
%, 356, $50, 93l, tabulated as follows:
Paid on principal from
1855 to 1895. 81, sos, 1O9. 1893
Paid In interest from 1865
to 1895. .................$2 g, $50. 76O, 931
Total principal and inter-
Conceding that 81, SOC. OO0, 900 was the
highest point reached by the debt,
though it was really more, it is seen
that the people has paid In interest
sum equal to the entire debt less
el43, 239, 069 and for principal and in
tereSt a sum in excess of the entire
debt In 1865, Of 81, 36l, 890.7s9. That is
to say, the people have more than paid
the national debt, but 1886, 100, 931
has been interest which has gone into
the pockets OF the bond holders, and
stir the debt now approximates $780,
600, 000, and Is increasing.
SHARKS AND SHIRTS.
The battle Of the sharks and shirts
Is now on-old shylock demanded his
'pound Of flesh;" it was in the bond
the tOnd shylock want the poor mans
shirt and John Sherman and the gold
bugs say he shall have it, but it is not
IN the bond.
Thousands of workinpmap still 70.