The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-23

Chicago, Feb. President Ben
jamin Harrison spoke today at the
Auditorium at the central meeting OF
the annual celebration of the Unior
League club, in honor of Washington
All the historical and civic societies OF
the city were fully represented Among
tie distinguished guests of the Union
League club present at the meeting
were DR.. John U. Finlay, president OF
Knox college; General John A. Palmer
Major General John r. Brooke; former
Governor Richard ]. Oglesby and Chas
w. Smith of Philadelphia. The Apollo
club of 400 voices furnished the music
Ex-President Harris0n's subject was
obligations of Wealth. He said, in
part:
We assemble on this anniversary of the
birth of Washington, not so much, If at
all, to bring tribute to him, as to learn
at his feet the lessons of a conscientious
citizenship. The imitable qualities of
Washington's character and life; those
that did not exhaust themselves on a To-
cality or a period; that are instructive not
only to military commanders and chief
magistrates, but to the unofficial citizen
the lessons that he taught, not for the
march and battle, but for quiet days when
no drum beat calls to duty-these are the
qualities and lessons that should engage
our thoughts today.
His life teaches no lesson more strongly
than that the citizen is under obligation
to serve the state; never to shirk his full
share of burden and labor and sacrifice,
but rather to do more
The word wealth" in its modern use
has suffered a limitation if not perver-
SION
WHAT IS WEALTH?
Wealth is a comparative term. and my
address is not for that very limited body
IL .
list orators ''plutocrats." l want to
speak of the obligations of the well-to-do
people, the forehandsd prosperous men
and women of our communities. whether
their estates are reckoned by thousands
or by millions.
We live in a time of great agitation, of
war of clashing thoughts and interests.
Men no longer satisfied with what ap-
pears above ground, are uncovering roots
There is a feeling that some men are
handicapped. that the race is sold; that
the old and much-vaunted equality of OPP
portunity and of right has been sub
merged. More bitter and threatening
things are being said and written against
accumulated property and corporate
power than ever before. 1t seems to many
that, more and more. small men, small
stores. and small factories are being
thrown upon the shore of financial drift or
wreckage; that the pursuit of cheaDness
has reached stage where only enormous
combinations of capital. doing an enorm-
Gus business, are sure of returns.
Wealth should neither be the object of
our enmity nor the basis of our consider
alton. The indiscrminate denunciation
of the rich is mischievous 1t perver:s
the mind. poisons the heart and furnishes
and excuse for crime. No poor man was
ever made richar or happier by it.
THE GOLDEN THREAD.
Equality is the golden thread that runs
all through the fabric of our civil institu-
tions-the dominating note in the swell
ing symphony of liberty. Equality, not
OF conditions, not of natural endowment
but of rights. is the foundation stone of
our governmental structure.
For very many years an opinion has
been prevalent that the great bulk of the
property of the states. especially
of the class denOminated securities - in
Guiding stocks, bonds. notes. mortgages
and such like, has escaped taxation. With
a very few exceptions the great fortunes
in this country are invested in such Sc
curities. The delinquency appears to be
located largely in our great cities. Recent
Investigations of students of political
science, and recent tables prepared by
state officials, have disclosed an appalling
condition of things. The evil seems to
have been progressing until, in some of
our great centers of population and
wealth, these forms of personal property
seem to have been almost eliminated from
the tax list.
In New York state the proportion of per-
sonal property assessed for taxation is
only about u per cent of the total amount
erts of that state expresses the opinion
that the taxable personal property owned
in the state is at least equal TO the amount
Of real estate. Illinois and many other
states present the same condition, differ
ing only in degree.
OFFENSE AGAINST PATRIOTISM.
It is easy to see how this offense
The very sense that in
equality is injustice has promoted it. One
man sees that his neighbor is not making
4 Conscientious tax return and that if he
returns his property honestly he win pay
isproportionately. The result is that his
conscience finds a salve in the saving
everybody does it,
II is probably also true that under the
AK laws of many of our states doSble
taxation results and taxpayers take il
lpon themselves to remedy this defect in
ne law, not by the methods prescribed
n the constitution. but by leaving off
rom their tax returns such stocks and
securities as they suppose to be taxed in |
)ther states.
Taxes are a debt of the highest obliga- /
ion. and ma casuist can draw a sound |
moral distinction between the man who |
hides his property or makes a false return /
n order to escape the payment of his |
lebt to the state. and the man who con-
'eals his property from his private |
Nor should il be more difficult !
o follow the defaulter in the ons case /
han in the other. If our taxes were I
armer out to an individual or to a cor !
,oration they would be collected as fully |
IS private debts are now collected. There /
would be a vigilant and unrelenting pur- |
uit. The civil and criminal processes of |
he law would be invoked with effect. Just /
S they were against fraudulent debtors |
lnder the bankrupt law
INEQUALITY OF TAX.
When to this enormous and crying evil I
5 added the corruption which it is alleger !
las characterized the appraisements of /
cal estate; we have condition of things
With which we care not pa,ter. We
must ina surate. and at once n system !
hat shall equaliZe tax burdens The men
I wealth in our great communities should /
cad the movement. This great club. or
anized as a rallying center for LOYALTY
nd patriotic citizenship. should hear \ /
ali as loud and imperative as that which
anne to it during the years of the civil
var.
Mr. Lincolns startling declaration that
his country could not continue to exist
aif slave and naif free may be nara l.
hrased today by saying that this coun-
nv cannot continue TO exist half taxed
nd half free.
This sense of inequality breathes a
cree and unmeasuring anger-creates
lasses. intensifies sociaI dsrferences .,n1
makes men willing to pay their debts In
all dollars The Just sacredness of these.
honey obligations. the right Of the hold
RS to be paid in money Of full value, viii
e clearer to these angry men IL they
ee that these securities are paving fully
heir lawful taxes
Where IS the moral distinction between
ne act of putting one hand In his ei, h.
ors pocket and clandestinely abstract
lg his pocket book. and the fraudule.-ely
hitting of a debt that | owe to mother
II there is not enough public v;ltue left
our communities TO make tax frauds
iscreditable: II there is not vitality
noueh left in our laws and in the adj
Illustration of justice in our courts to
ring TO punishment those who defreud
le state and their neighbors; if cr!s-les r
: fraud may stalk unrebuked and I'M