The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-24
v1cE-PREsIDENT CALLED DOWN

declaration made on taking Office that
he chad been condemned 10 four year.
or silence and that IL was time tor
him to "go way back and sit down
was quite In order. His Freedom and
recklossness in talk began TO get on
the nerves OF the conservative mem.
bcrs of tho administration and Of Dem.
ocratic leaders generally.
As examples OF President Mar.
shall's talk which gives Democratic
leaders the Shudders, a remark made by
him in one Of bis speeches is given in
Eastern newspapers. that "the right
TO inherit and the right 10 devise are
simply privileges given by the State
10 It's citizens this in enforcement
Of his proposition that iuheritances
ought 10 be taxed SO as practically TO
coufscate all of the large estates upon
the death of those who had accumulated
them. II Is stated that when Vice
President Marshall uttered the Ian.
guage quoted and added that these
nights were "neither inherent nor Con-
stitutional' he almost literally quoted
from Sir Henry Main, an authority on
Ancient Law. Sir Henry Main says
that what he said was that the right
Of inheritance and devise did not ex-
ist in tho early institutions OF our
race, and be is quoted ms saying that
Mr.. Marshall was probably mistaken
with respect to the Constitution. The
fact is that both are mistaken alto
gether when they say that there was
originally no right 10 inherit or devise
for the right OF inheritance and TO
dispose Of property by will or verbal
direction long antedated any Of the
statutory enactments of mankind. In
the earliest instances as given IN the
Bible. the right Of inheritance from
father to son or family. was oousid-
cred as unquestioned and fully cstab-
lished. This must necessarily have
been the case from the earliest be-
ginnings Of the human race. for even
the caveman when he died would leave
his home cave and all his implements
Of war, Of chase, or Of domestic utility
to his descendants. This would be the |
natural order, and unless his family |
was despoiled by robbers nothing would !
be more certain than that they would |
come into possession OF his property |
at his death. So that the laws OF in.
leritance and of disposal OF estates
ire natural rights, and the laws which |
confirm them merely put into statutory
'orm the natural conditions that ex-
sted long before any laws were drawn.
But IL is not alone the proposition
o tax the estates of the rich that Vice
President Marshall appears to be COM
nittcd to by his talk. He states in a
ecent address that men of Judgment
ave expressed TO him the opinion that
{ vote were taken on a proposition
o make all estates over the sum Of
100000 revert TO the State upon the
eath of the owner, the 100000 being
for the heirs. IL would he
arried two TO one II is very likely
bat there are communities where what
he Vice-Prosident says might be true,
Tbere the popular vote would be two
o ono to confiscate estates Of rich peo.
lie upon the death of the holder. IL is
robsbly true. also. that in some locarI
ies OF the country tho people nigh;
ote TO take away the holdings OF rich
eople even before they died. II is al
ogether likely that communities could
o found that would vote to take awsv
s money, Carnegie s money.
yam money. or the money OF other
lch men. But that is not the main
uestion; and that is not what any +,
ublic man ought 10 consider as dues
ion 10 be either discussed or propoSed
D popular vote. When 10 comes 10
latter Of pillaGing estates, public
peakers cannot be too careful in ex
ressing their views. lest these views
g taken up by demagogucs and blathar-
Aites and made the stepping stones 20
opular favor and TO anarchists leris. |
lton. It is true that Vice President
iarshall does not say that this is his
wn view, but that 10 is the view OF {
men OF Judgment expressed BY them
} him But why should he In pub :
c address endorse tho. holders Of such
Jews as linen of Judgment - and why {
iould he present those views appar ,
1tly with his endorsement; certainly a
Of with his condemnation 1t is dif. S
colt to see how men Of judgment can
old views such as arc imputed 10 them j
? Viee-President Marshall rs expressed g
him. Certainly tho holding Of those '
lows would not be considered cvi. o
onees Of Judgment. while il is abso. o
tely certain that tho walls Of separa. Il
on between the proposition to rob an c
tate and that 10 rob Il man OF his 7
,ldings before no dies are so fran that II
icy would be easily broken down. and S
iat those who speak first for the rob 9
ne Of estates would not hesitate 20 {
'esk Immediately. or very soon there d
D.