Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-24
The Prosperity of spoliation

There never was, land never can be, any
valid objection to equal taxation; the
justice and absolute fairness of a sys-
tenn that makes all property bear it's
proportionate share of the public bur-
dens is acknowledged by all. And yet
we vainly boast of the equality Of our
government, In the face of the amaz-
ing inconsistency, that the property of
the country is not taxed single dollar,
to help pay the enormous expenses of
the nation, which will probably be not
less than $50 millions of dollars for the
current year or an average of ten dol
lars for each man, woman and child,
white and black, in the country; an
average of fifty dollars for family of
five, which wrongful and relentless
tariff makes labor pay, by increasing
the price of the comforts and necessi-
ties of life.
Nor is this all. Labor is robbed of at
least six times as much more to enrich
the so-called, protected industries, prln-
cipally manufacturers, because they
say, they cannot otherwise compete
with foreign products. This is not 30,
and even if it were, they have no right
to go into the pockets of other people
to make good their losses, in defiance of
the wholesome rule of political econ
omy, which declares that any business
undertaking, not self-sustaining, has no
right to moments existence, except at
the expense of its promoters and pro-
prietors.
The vicious system of tariff spolia-
ton, legallzed by the government, con-
centrates wealth in the hands of the
few 80 rapidly that one tenth of the
people already own at least nine
tenths of the property of the country.
1t follows, then, on any principle Of
equality, that nine-tenths of the inhab-
itants instead of paying an average
percapita tax of ten dollars, each, to
support the government, and sixty dol
lars each, to the protected industries, or
three hundred and fifty dollars a year
for each family of five, should pay an
average pro rata tax of less than one
dollar and twelve cents for each indi-
vidual, in support of the government,
and nothing at all to protect and enrich
privileged industries, making an aver
age saving Of sixty-eight dollars and
eighty eight cents for each individual,
or $344.4O for a family of five In single
year.
There are nineteen millions of labor
ing men in this country who work for
wages many of whom know they are
being robbed by unjust taxation, fol
the benefit of the privileged class
They know, too, that men who belong
to the business classes are organized
and united, under the direction and in
the interest of moneyed men.
Many farmers grumble at the small
profits of their business, and some, per
haps, almost rejoice when other coun
tries are stricken with the distress oi
famine, because of the prospect o1
higher prices for their products, and ye
not few of them are in favor of tar
iff that is robbing the consumers O.
this country, their own would-be Gus
toners in order to give the protected
industries, not less than 1897, 10000 [
year, q sum greater than the value O.
all the farm products of 1889, in tb
seventeen Atlantic states, with tn
District of Columbia and the state o
Ohio added, in which territory is foun'
nearly half the population of tn
United States. With such spoliatiol
of the consumers of this country, wha
marvel that for the four leading crop
4 of the United States the farmers g
on an average, less than eight dollar
per acre, (see report of secretary 9
agriculture) out of which to pay fc
the labor and all other costs of raisin
aud handling? Thus, is the prospe
ity Of the farmer illustrated. Nationt
Equal YaxAtton Club.