The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-05-24

1t has been proposed that the govern
ment loan $500, 600, 900 to San Francisco
at a low rate of interest TO enable the
stricken city to re-establish her ruined
industries and recoup her losses. To the
superficial mind philauthropically in
clined, the proposition undoubtedly
commends itself. But suppose the gov
eminent should see its way clear to
make the loan AZ proposed, what would
the city of San Francisco do with the
vast sum of money thus loaned to her?
Would all of the other stricken cities and
villages in California get their Just and
equitable share of the loan? Or would
there be discrimination in favor of the
inhabitants of great city visited by
disaster and against the inhabitants Of
the relatively insignificant places visited
by the same dire calamity! SGch dis
elimination would be analogous to typic
al class legislation. 1t would be aris-
tocratc in character. 1t would be like
robbing Dan to enrich Dick. 1t would
not be inst and right, but it would be
wholly unjust and indefensible. 1t would
not be in harmony with democratic
principles IL would be worthy of the
methods in vogue among the privileged
classes of Russia
Again, if the loan should be granted
to San Francisco only, how would the
authorities of that city distribute the
money among the inhabitants of Cali
fornia's ruined metropolis? Would they
distribute the loan in equal shares a.
mong the sufferers of the stricken city,
This would require an accurate enumera-
ton of all who have suffered in the
calamity, men, women and children
In this way only could it be determined
what the just and equitable per capita
portion should be-
1t would certainly be unjust to dis
tribute the loan among the sufferers in
proportion to the losses they have sus-
tanned, irrespective Of their actual needs,
the number of members in their families,
their credits, and the value of their un.
destroyed property, including real estate,
franchises, etc, etc But if the money
were to be distributed in proportion to
losses sustained, it would be necessary
to take an accurate inventory of all the
losses suffered and to deduct the total
insurance that Is, the total amount
that will be actually paid by the com
panes that carried the risks from the
total value of the property destroyed by
followed it, 1t could then be determined
by division how much could be given for
every dollars worth of the net losses.
The inventory must show the gross loss
an! the net loss sustained by every
sufferer in the stricken city. The portion
of the loan given to each sufferer would
be determined, not by his gross loss, but
by his net loss TO illustrate: if AS
gross loss is equal to Bs gross loss, and
If - per cent, Of AS gross loss If covered
by good insurance and if b carried no
insurance, or if he carried insurance
that has proved to be mo good, then
Il should get four times ~ much of the
loan as A.
But, again, how can anyone Justify
the giving of more governmental assist.
ance to X, who, while he has suffered a
loss Of tens of thousands of dollars, still
owDs twenty times az much property
real estate, franchises, etc.-as Y, his
neighbor, who, while an honest, indus.
trious man, had but little, or not any,
property and whose pecuniary losses in
the earthquake and fire have been very
smal2
Again should the poor, or the com.
paratvely impecunious who lost their
bread. winners in the disaster receive less
than the captain of industry or the mer.
chant prince whose financial 10 sses in the
holocaust have been heavy2 In a word,
should the government render more aid
TO those who, while they have lost much
property, still own vastly more than the
average citizens Of California than TO
those who have lost their bread winners
in the terrible catastrophe in question