Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-04-25

Privilege

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natl Times-Star. processes inability
to understand the meaning of the
term special privilege" Perhaps the
shortest and easiest way to enlighten
it would be to inform it that special
privilege is the means whereby Chas.
P. Taft succeeds in appropriating an
nually, by perfectly legal methods.
the earnings of many OF his fellow
citizens without returning an equiva-
lent That ought to make the matter
clear to those who have some knowl-
edge of what his fortune consists.
However, if the Times-Star wants
less personal definition it ought to
consult a dictionary Webster defines
privilege as ga right or immunity
not enjoyed by others or by all" The
same authority says that special
means peculiar" or uncommon"
A protective tariff is special priv
dlege because some individuals are
empowered thereby to levy tribute on
the rest. Even if it were fact, in
stead of a bare-faced lie, that the
beneficiaries of this privilege share
their loot with their employees it
would be none the less a robbery OF
many by a few.
The individuals who are empowered
to appropriate to their own use val
ues created by all the people enjoy
another ubiquitous special privilege.
Charles P. Taft is one of these. He
knows it is indefensible, but does not
want others to know it. So he tries
to hide behind the small individual
home owners He says, "to the single
taxer. the man who owns his own
home is enjoying a special privilege
in the ownership of the land ON which
his house is located" He convenient
" neglects to add, "but sine such
home owners are now being taxed
on houses and personal property and
also in other ways on their labor Tar
more than they would pay under the
single tax ON their land, the priyi-
flege is a hurt instead of a benefit to
them. while the owner of sites on
which the homes of other people are
located or where nothing whatever is
located finds the privilege profit
able one"
The owner of a franchise, like the
Cincinnati Traction Company, OF
which Mr.. Taft is a stockholder, en-
Joys also the Legal but not moral
Ownership of a special privilege. 1t
has the peculiar right denied to all
others to lay tracks on the public
streets, string trolley wires over
them and run trolley cars upon them.
No matter how willing others may
be to render the same or better serv-
ice they are denied all right to do so.
This particular privilege was granted
for a fifty-year term by acts OF
boss controlled legislature and boss
controlled city officials. They were
controlled by the same boss who
gave Charles P. Taft nomination for
Congress. It is about as clear an ex-
ample of special privilege as can be
| found.
Another term which bothers the
Times-Star is progressive" 1t is mat
ural enough that Mr.. Taft should not
know the meaning of that term if he
does not know the meaning of spe-
cial privilege. A progressive is one
who wants to abolish the graft of the
owners of special privilege.
The, Times-Star asks, what do the
confiscation gentlemen mean by pro-
gressive? To them the true progress
sive is the man who does not believe
in the right of private property; who
thinks that the man who spends all
his money on drink, while his wife
and children look out for themselves,
is quite as worthy as the man who
has saved his money, accumulated
some capital, and is getting on in
the world"
It is not necessary to ask the Times
Star to explain what it means by
"confiscation gentlemen" 1t means
those who want to put an end to le-
galized confiscation by some, of the