, 1922-08-14
The Crime of Cunning Property

fIlftE iONo1II VI II ohSfA
Il provides that no one who owns or has interests
in industries, who owns land, who is engaged in
business. who has money in the bank, in short, no
one who owns property of any kind is permitted to
hold Office, l~egislate or have aught TO do with the
government.
The bolshevists organized in each community
what is known as the poor peasant" party. From
this party is drawn those who have any voice in
the government. The members of this poor peas
ant organization are those who never had any
thing, who never saved anything, the %shiftless, the
ne'erdowells, the vodka drinkers, the criminal
classes, the vagabonds. demagogucs and agitators.
The world is Witnessing each day the result OF a
government by such a class of people. L
A resolution has been introduced by Senator
CARAwAY, Democrat, of Arkansas, to ascertain if
any senator voting for the tariff on wool owned any
sheep. 1t is on a par with the bolshevistic idea
of government. 1t would deprive any man who had
property from participating in making laws upon
the theory that by so doing he might afford some
measure of protection to his property, some sta
bility to his interests and thereby would profit.
Senator Caravans resolution raises the issue as
10 whether it is a crime for a man who sits in legis-
lative halls 10 be possessed of property. Does the
fact that he has by industry, thrift and application
10 business accumulated something disqualifying
him from participating in an official way in the con
duct of his government?
Are those who sit in legislative halls to be con.
fined TO "~iacklcg" lawyers and political shysters who
seek 10 hold their public office by appealing to the
hatred and prejudices of the shiftess, the ignorant
and the vicious?
Is a man who votes for a law that protects his
property and renders his investment secure, and
thereby protects all property and renders all invest
ments secure, to he branded as a crook and whipped
from public life?
Are only those to be permitted to remain in pub
lie office whose chief possession is a loose tongue
and a constant desire to impugn the integrity and
besmirch the reputation of men who have accumu-
lated something more substantial?
The resolution raises the issue as to whether
those who legislate are to be men who can be en-
trusted to legislate constructively in the interest of
thrift and industry, or those who legislate destruc-
lively in the interest of the shiftless and thriftless.
1t is begging the question to attempt any other
Interpretation of the resolution. If 1T is a violation
either of ethics or the law for a United States sena'
tor to vote upon a tariff schedule because the bust
ness in which he has invested may be benefited
thereby, it is wrong for him to vote upon any matter
of legislation which benefits any business IN winch
he may be interested. For example, senator's with
an income could not vote upon a revenue law which
had an income tax clause in it. The list of exam
pies might be continued indefinitely.
There is not a constructive piece of legislation
enacted that does not benefit business and industry
and thereby profit those senator's who have invest
ments in business and industry In the Caraway
resolution the head of bolshevism is raised in the
United States senate, threatening all property rights
and all investments in America. .
Considered strictly from the standpoint OF the
tariff. it is equally as demagogic and destructive.
No one denies that many senators have investments
that would be enhanced by a protective tariff be-
cause a protective tariff enhances Investments IN
American industries and business enterprises de-
pendent upon American industries.
Everyone knows and no one denies that there is
another class in this country who would be profted
immensely by the defeat of a protective tariff. Ihese
are the interests which are growing enormously
wealthy by importing paupermade goods and selling
them to the American public at fabulous profits
ranging into the thousands of per cent. If Sena-
tor CARAwAY and his Democratic associates were
sincere they would insist upon an Investigation OF
all such bene6ciaries of free trade. Senator CARA
WAYS resolution, if sustained, would make it a
crime for any member of the congress to vote for
any law which protected American industries but a
virtue for him to vote for any law in the interest
of foreigners and in the interest of that handful of
~profteers III this country who are mulcting the
American consumer because he is able to act as the
merchandiser of foreign producers.