The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1907-12-06

! w~ hast had m inheritance tax about
! one-half Of the states levied such taxes
| coueurrensiy with the national govern
| racrs. making a combined MAXIMUM
rate, In some cases as high as Is per
cent. The French law has one feature
The progressive principle is SO applied
that each higher rate is imposed only
ON the excess above the amount, Sub
tesf to the next lower rate. 20 that
each increase or rate will apply only
10 "a certain amount above a certain
maximum. The tax should IL possible
be- made To bear more heavily upoai
those residing without h country
than within Il. A heavy progressive
tax upon a very large fortune is In no
Nay such a tax upon thrift or industry
as n like tax would be on a small Tor
tune. No advantage coraes either To
n country as "a whole or 10 the indi-
viduals inhcriting the money by per
hitting the transmission in their EN-
tsrety OF the enormous fortunes which
would be affected by such a tax. and
as an incident 10 It's function OF revenue
raising. such n tax would help TO pre-
serve 3 measurable equality OF oppor-
turity for the people OF the generations
growing 10 manhood. We have not the
slightest sympathy with that socialists
Idea which would try to put laztness,
Aa&A hAeA SNNAAst Nbh @S " 49,
with industry, thrift and efficiency,
which would strive to break up not
merely private property. but what Is
far more important, the hone the chief
prop upon which our whole civilization
stands. Such a theory. Ii ever adopted,
would mean the ruin OF the entire
country-~a ruin which would hea-
heaviest upon tae Weakest. o those
least able 10 shift for themselves. But
proposals for legislation lei as this
herein advocated are directly opposed
TO this class OF socialistic theories.
Our aim is tn recognize what Lin
coin pointed out: The fact that there
are some respects i'm which men are
obviously not equal. but also 10 in
sist that there should be an equality
ef seif-respect and OF mutual respect.
an equality OF rights before the law,
and at least m approximate equality
in the conditions under which each
man obtains the nance to show the
stun that is In him when compared TO
hts fellows.
enforcement. of the Law.
A few years ago there was loud COM
plaint that the law could not be In
voged against wealthy offenders. There
is .o such complaint now. Tho course
OF the department Of justice during
thu last few years has been such as
To make IL evident that no man stands
abaye the law. that no corporation is
so wealthy that IL cannot be held to
account The department OF justice
has been rs prompt to proceed against
the weaithiest malefactor whose crime
wa. one Of greed and cunning as 10
proceed against the 2git2tor who in
cites 10 brutal violence. Everything
tnas can be done under the existing
law. and with the existing state of
public opinion. which SO profoundly
F-A E~yN - E-s@-
has been done. But the laws them
selves need strengthening in more
n important point; they shouid
be made more definite. SO that no hon.
est man can be led unwittinsly to
break them, and so that the real
wrongdoer can be readily punished.
I: Moreover. there must be the pub
/: lie opinion back OF the laws or the
: laws themselves Will be OF no
s.: avail. AT present, while the av-
:: efsge juryman undoubtedly wishes
/: TO see trusts broken up, and is
Z: Quite ready to fine the (:
+: tiyn itself. he is very reluctant to
{: fii.d the facts proven beyond a rea-
+: scnable doubt when II comes to
/: sending to jail a member OF the
/: Business community for INDUCING
/: In practices which are profoundly
{: unhealthy. but which, unfortunate
: ~, the business community has
f: grown TO recognize as well night
{: normal. Both the present coadi-
{: tian OF the law and the present
/: temper Of juries render il a task
+: OF extrefne difficulty TO get al the
/: real wrongdoer in any such case.
+: especially by imprisonment. Yet
: IL is from every standpoint far
!: preferable TO punish the prime of
i. fcnder by Imprisonment rather
+: than to fine the corporation. with
+: the attendant damage 20 stock
!: holders. /: