Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-10-27
Should Wealth Be Limited.

This, then, is to be the battle of the
future-concentrated Wealth on one
hand, concentrated poverty on the
other. The battle should not be one
OF force, but one of reason and agita-
ton until wealth shall be bound bv
proper constitutional limitations; a
battle in which law shall triumph; for
the true remedy most conductive to
equality lies in legislation. But this
legislation should be immediate. If
we desire to prevent actual war be-
tween class and class, it is imperative
that legal check at once be placed
upon the growing power for evil of
aggregated wealth.
The limitation of wealth by law has
received the approval of some of the
most gifted as well as philanthropic of
minds. In our country such men as
Horace Greeley, Theodore Parker, and
William Ellery Charming have advo-
Gated it. Still a ready objection of
some against the Limitation of wealth
is that any attempt to remedy by leg
lsiatiou the inequality of fortune at
once infringes upon the right of per-
sonal liberty. Have we no laws in ex-
istence now which infringe upon the
right of personal liberty? Do not our
usury laws take some rights from the
individual? Does not our cnsto,,,-
house laws, which permits the trunks
OF every new arrival to be searched.
| infringe somewhat upon the right of
personal liberty? The citizen who
| would object to these laws would have
but very narrow conception of the
true purpose of government. If we
examine our laws closely we shall find
| many that encroach upon individual
liberty for the sake of public good.
Then why should any objection be
made to those laws which tend to limit
wealth?
Undoubtedly a tax levied upon all
| incomes, which would be progressive
ly raised and graduated according to
the amount of the individual or cor
porate wealth, could be constitutional
ly enacted. And if progressive in
come tax can be enacted, the grad
uated inheritance tax can also be en-.
acted, for the principle is practically
the same. Senator David B. Hill. Of
New York. has called the progressive
tax modern fad" It is 80 modern.
however, that it can be traced back to
the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians.
During the palmiest days of Greece
the days of Solon and Lycurgus-a
progressive tax was stern reality.
Our own country has not been with
out progressive tax. In 1877 a grad
ed inheritance tax was levied by con-
gress. This law was repealed in 1902.
In 1862 similar law was passed.
But after having been decided to be
constitutional by the supreme court.
tt was repealed in 1872.
Other governments at the present
time tax the rich. In England. be-
sides the income tax, many other
items OF revenue are contributed en-
tirely by the rich-contributed upon
the principle that those who have ac-
quired riches shall bear the burden of
taxation. In the United States we
seem to place the burden of taxation
upon the shoulders least fitted to bear
it. Every effort to tax the rich. TO
i properly tax corporations and trusts.
has met with failure. The LOBBYIST
and corporation lawyer have defied
the tax-gatherer until they have worn
out the patience of the people. The
time Is now ripe for proper legislation.
A progressive income tax and a tax
upon inheritances should be made a
law in every state.-Robert N. Reeves.
lin the August Arssa.