Abraham Lincoln on 'The Rich'

I found this quote last night while reading the 5000 Year Leap and liked it.
Property is the fruit of labor. Property is desirable, is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently to build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence....I take it that it is best for all to leave each man free to acquire property as fast as he can. Some will get wealthy. I don't believe in a law to prevent a man from getting rich; it would do more harm than good.
Abraham Lincoln
The Freeman: Thoughts on Liberty

There is a prevalent notion in our society that the rich should pay a higher percentage for taxes. Or that the government should somehow step in to even things out or to make things fair. We all ' live down stream' so to speak. What is done to the rich in our society will trickle down and affect those of us making less. Rather than imposing a heavier tax burden on the rich, we should encourage all to strive for excellence and success.