The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-23
ROASTED THE TAX DODGERS
ES-Frcsident Harrison Talks 90 the
"Obligstions of Ncalth.''
TUE COLOSSAL FORTUNES UNTaxED
csr. Harrison Holds That u Il Abso-
lutcly Dishonest to E:vadc
Proper Assessmemt.

thS aHituh mtttius ut tns tnfon i<taSuc
club In celebration Of washingtoH's birth
day. All the historical and civic societies
OF the city were fully represented Among
the distinguished guests OF the Union
League club present at the meeting were
DIR. John IL. Finley, president of Knox COL
lege; General John NJ. Palmer, Major GEN
eral John r. Brooks. Former Governor
Richard oglesby and Charles Emory Smith
OF Philadelphia. The Apollo club OF 400
voices furnished the music of the occasion.
4 Elk President Harrison took for his subject
obligations OF wealth.
He said IN part;
Monuments and birthday anniversaries
should be commemorative OF the virtues
that are still imitahle. Scientists have
! reproduced some OF the gigantic animals
and reptiles of the worlds early history.
| We look at them With fear and wonder
ard congratulate ourselves that they are.
extinct types. We have no needs that they
4 could supply. They could not live In our
| enyironmentsA nor VIC In theirs. SO there.
lave been among men monsters of power
and violence. We can not forget them. but
4 we are glad they lived In another epoch.
| The almanac maker notes their birthdays,
but there are no assemblagts of the people,
! II monuments have been builded to them,
| they are liable 10 be overturned when the
| dynasty changes or the commune suplsianti
the Staff.
! But there are men who have so won our
hearts that we would recall them Il we
| could. We feel the need of them. No
change of dynasties. no outbreak OF the
| mob. threatens their monuments. Ono can
/ hardly conceive of any civil revolution or
| any riotous outbreak IN our country that
| would not respect the monuments OF Wash
-. H. a.. f.kA4
4 they We're at times hated by men and by
| communities; but when the full stories
! of their lives We're unfoided when mo-
] tives and purposos we're explored when the
I universal beneficence of their public SER
vices was seen in the establishment by
one and the rescue by the other OF free
| constitutional government, all their coun-
! trymen rendered them homage.
I'VE assemble on this anniversary OF the
| birth OF Washington, not so much. II nj
ali, 10 bring tribute to him, as To learn, m
| fact. the lessons OF conscientious citi-
zenship, The imitsble qualities of Wash
ingtons character and life; those that did
no, exhaust Themselves on locality or
period; that are instructive. not only TO
| military commanders and chief magistrates,
| but TO the unofficial citizen the lessons
/ that he tnught, not for the march aud hat
| tie, but for quiet days when no drum beat
calls to duty--these are the qualities and
! lessons that should engage our thought TO-
| day.
I'm choosing for my theme The Oblga-
lions OF Wealth. / am not wrestling this an
| niyorsary from It's legitimate use. We do
| not need to forget-indeed. VIC can not for
| get Washington when we reflect ursm our
I obligations to the state His life teaches
no lesson more strongly than that the cit'-
zen 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 limitation II not a perver-
| sion. Originally and strictly IL means veal
! az welfare. external happiness. When Paul
| admonished the Corinthian Christians, Let
| nc men seek his own. but every man an
| others wealth he was not anticipating the
| modern law of the wheat pit and the stock
| exchange
! Wealth is comparative term; and my
! address Is not for that very limited body
o. multi -millionaircs. called by the populist
oIators 'nlutocIhts.' a smaller audience
| chamber would have sufiiced for them. and
| nerl APPS the orator should have been of the
guild want TO speak of the obligations
| OF the well 10 do peo9e. the forehanded,
prosperous men and women OF cur eorninu-
mites. whether their estates are reckoned
| by thousands or by millions,
| I'VE live in time Of great agitation, OF
! war OF clashiug thoughts AMI interests
| Men no longer satisfied with what appears
| above ground arc uncovefing roots. Tnere
| is a feeling that some men are handicapped
| and that the race Is sold, that the old and
| much yalinted equality of opportunity and
| of right has been submerged More bitter
and threatening things are being said aud
written against accumulated property and
, corporate power than ever before. II seems
to many that. more and more, small men,
small stores and small factories are being
thu own upon the shore as financial drift
hat he uf a.
has reached stage where only enormous
combinations OF capital. doing an enormous
business, are sure of returns.
"The scans which mar the face OF the
social landscape seem 10 be widening
chasms, AMI If these CULTS are 20 be filled
we must establish dunpa on both sides OF
them II viii aid the Work II those OF
either side use tho bridges 10 get view ~
It from the other side. Wealth should
neither be the object OF our emily nor Iae
basis Of our consideration The ineiserim-
mate denunciation OF the rich is mischies-
oug II perverts the mind, poiaon5 the
heart and furnishes an excuse for crime,
No poor man was ever made richer or hap
pier by It, II Is quite as logicn. to dsspse
a man because he is rich as because he Is
poor. Not what man has. but what he U,
settles his class. In the discussion OF al
these social questions good temper Is es-
senfial. Men must get together and USE
facts. not rhetoric
..The special purpose OF ms address today
is 10 press home this thought upon the
prosperous. Well 10 do people OF our con.
munity, and especially Of olr great citfea;
that one OF the conditions OF the security
or wealth Is a proIortionata ana full con-
trjhutlon to the expenses OF the State and
local governments. u IS not only wrong.
bn Il Is ursafe. TO make a show In orr
homes and on the street that Is not made IN
tine tax returns.
Equality Is the golden thread that runs
all through the faDric o. our civil instiln-
t.ons the dominating ao,e in the swelling
symphony OF liberty. Equality. no. ..
C nditions, not OF natural endowment. but
Of rights. Is the foundation stone Of our
governmental structure And as cofoi-
larry, necessary and imperative. to this doc
trine OF en- equality OF right is the,So,t-ine
OF proportionste and rasahle contribution
10 the cost of administering the govern
ment The duty Of the State TO protect
lie. liberty and property II conditioned
arm a fair contribution 10 he coat of gov