Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-06-23
THE RIGHT TO INHERIT.
Generation After Generation of Human
Beings Become the Property of Rich
Mems Heirs.

Beings Become the Property of Rich
Mems Heirs.
In the Twentieth Century Robert N.
Reeves has published an article on the
subject of inheritance laws. 1t is a
subject that will soon demand careful
consideration in the state legislatures
and also in congress. 1t is due largely
to the present system that large for
tunes are perpetuated. Mr.. Reeves
says:
Perhaps no law or custom has done more to
lay the foundations of an American aristocracy
tnan our past and present laws of inheritance.
The growing inequality of wealth is produc-
Ing an aristocracy which is a menace to our
popular form of government, and, as the in
equality OF wealth is caused to an alarming ex-
tent by our laws Of inheritance. we must change
these laws in order to arrive at some degree Of
justice In the distribution OF wealth.
The seifishness and vanity of men. we all
know, are not merely confined to their own
persons, but extend also to their posterity It
Is this SeffshneSs that causes the wealthy to
form alliances and keep their wealth. as much
as possible. in one family, for the sake of fam
lily aggrandizement This is what is called a
teudalism OF money. and a feudalism of money
In democracy always means that the democ-
racy has reached the top OF the hill and Is GO
ing down 1t is this power OF wealth. this aris-
tocracy OF riches. that causes European think
ers to regard with suspicion the stability of our
government They look upon it, not as living
TACT, but rather as an experiment.
Great family wealth is but inherited wealth.
and the maintenance of family wealth is real
nanger to our republic-a danger which, in
some way, should be apprehended People of
enormous wealth generally have small families.
SO that their wealth, upon death, is not diffused
to any appreciable extent, but is kept within a
small circle OF heirs, comforting upon them
almost the same power possessed by their an
| cestor There is this difference however. that
while their ancestor may possibly have had
some excuse for his wealth and power by labor
or superior sagacity, the heirs obtain their
wealth and power without any excuse for it.
1t is this power of wealth that places so many
In the high offices of our government 1t is
this power of wealth that fills our senate with
| inferior men and keeps those of merit and
| honor in the background.
We have at present the weakest inheritance
| laws of any civilized nation, save Switzerland
Under our present laws it. is possible for the
very wealthy to so arrange their affairs tha,
their children and children's children can
without the slightest labor on their part ap-
propriate the products and dominate over the
labor OF the children of others. This power OF
inherited wealth has increased. and is increas-
ing, and, If we are to have an enduring democ-
racy, must be diminished. But how is 1t to be
| diminished? BY enacting laws which will pre-.
vent great wealth from extending at most be-
! yond one generation, by strong progressive
| Inheritance tax
We have given considerable attention to the
| suppression of tramps, we have numerous laws
| against vagrancy, but why have we not made
| some laws that will. in some way. curtail the
| powers OF these greater idlers: these lazy peo
| pie who live in mansions and whose inherited
| income permits them to thrive upon the labo
| Of others? John Stuart Mill, who saw tn,
| dangerous tendencies of concentrated wealth
n iuhn cd 20 d.
modest maximum. And SO have all honest DO
| litical economists OF course there are som,
modern political economists who disagree will
| John Stuart Mill Wealth, ~ they admit IL
| but the accumulated creation of labor" Still
| they are ready to jump up and fight the minut
law is proposed which WILL in any way, limi
| the inherited wealth of those who never did
stroke Of labor in their lives. But, as thes
economists are generally found to be merel,
| the voice Of monopolists who have metamor
phosed themselves into college founders O.
| 'philanthropists," their ideas must not b,
| taken seriously. We must remember tha
| they owe duty to their patrons
| Perhaps. after all, the primitive Australian
| knew more OF the laws of political econom
| than civilization has given them credit for
when, moved by feeling of refined delicacy
| they were Mortified to derive any advantag
from the death of a kinsman, and consequent,
| burned all the personal property upon tn
| death of the owner.
| We cannot go back to the customs of tn
early Australians, but their custom rude as i
was, would, in the end, cause less harm, if fol
lowed by us, than our present laws of inherit
ance. For under our laws, any person, n
matter how ignorant. or how weak in body o
mind, can, without labor or industry, but mere
| ly because he or she is somebody's heir hav
| dominion over millions of dollars and becom
possessed Of all the power that wealth creates
| All this must be changed.
If we are to consider the progress OF civiliza
tion as permanent, if we are to have at hear
the general happiness OF our nation we must
| in spite Of corrupt legislators and quibblin
economists. bring about reform in our pres
| ent laws of Inheritance