The Washington herald., 1915-09-24
For the Benefit of Beyond Iowa. u

A correspondent who does not give his name
or address, but signs himself From Beyond
Iowa." asks The Herald some pertinent and some
experiment questions in reference to the editorial
on Taxes Here and in Iowa" This correspondent
falls into the common error of assuming that
inequality in the distribution of wealth accounts
for s the inequality in taxation for the support of
the Federal government, and then he asks or
rather dares, The Herald publish the statistics
as to paupers in Iowa and the District of Colum-
bia He goes farther and is willing to have the
comparison made to white paupers, confident
that such comparison will show that both extreme
riches and extreme poverty unknown in the
Hawkeye State and that these extremes are most
pronounced here in the District in the very shadow
OF the Capitol.
The Herald desires to please those who
do not agree with its policies and who find fault
with its editorial and news statements. The United
States Census Bulletin, No. 40. on Paupers in
Anshouscs in 1910, supplies the statistics desired
Iowa had I,779 paupers in almshouse on January
l. 1910 and admitted S2S during the year. The
District of Columbia had 276 paupers in almshouses
on January 1. 1910 and admitted III during the
year. Iowa had I764 white paupers iii almshouses
a: the beginning OF the census year and admitted
7os white paupcrs during the year. The District
OF NolulnDa ndQ lo4 "Hte pdupeIS dt INC DeSlH-
ming of the year and admitted scventy-nine white
paupcrs 10 the almshouse during the year.
The percentage ratio OF white paupers
found in the almshouses of Iowa at the beginning
OF the year 1910 eighty to 100000 population
while the ratio in the District of Columbia
iorty-four to 100000 population. The ratio of
white paupers admitted to almshouses in Iowa
during the census year was $50 for each 100000
,yb of ri, H.,
Ike ratio OF white paupers was 80 for each 1000
population. These statistics indicate that the ratio
of white paupers was almost double in Iowa what
it was in the District Of Columbia. Even including
the negro paupers in both territories, the District
makes quite as good showing as does the State of
Iowa.
These figures simply show that neither wealth
nor poverty selects particular habitat in this
country of opportunity. Iowa is rich State with
a larger per capita wealth than any other State,
except Nevada but Iowa has larger percentage
of paupers than has the District of Columbia, where
many Iowa people believe the contrasts of wealth
and poverty more pronounced than anywhere
else in the country 1t is a weakness OF Western
statesmen to study the District with microscope
and look at the rest of the country with a re-
versed telescope except when they considering
appropriations. Then they reverse the operation.
From Beyond Iowa has simply accepted the
land agents literature OF Iowa and other Western
States, where there are neither idle rich pow
erty, and he admits that he does not want to learn
for he says: 'You may fool the poor industrial
serfs of the East but you will not be able to cdu
cate west of the river for HI OF long while"
which is uncomplmentary of the West than
any thing The Herald would think of saying about
that splendid section OF the country which has
grown and developed so rapidly that the farmers
have not time to fill out their income tax returns.
Here is Iowa offering TO the country candidate
for President and at the time contributing
not only by income tax but by all excise taxation
ST to the support of the government over which
they want him to preside, while the people who
live in the District OF Columbia and have no vote
contribute S to the purpose. With all due
respect to anonymous correspondent, The Her
aid believes that the people of Iowa and beyond
would like to learn how they may contribute a
fair share of their wealth to the support of the
government, before they take it over completely
a President we'll legislators who
feel competent to make all the laws, not only ap
propriating millions for the suppression of hog
cholera in Iowa, but for the regulation of the
purely domestic life and personal habits of those
who live here in the District.