Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-01-26
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Evils arising from nnequnl taxation.

| Evils arising from nnequRl taxation.
We have demonstrated in previous arti-.
cles that gross inequalitg arises from the.
present methods both Of taxation and APP
preparation. Cur present object is to show
that this inequality and injustice are but a
small proportion of the evils arising from
this source. 1t is a fact well known to every
person who has given attention to the sub
iect. thatthe development of all its resources
is of the highest importance to a State, it
increases the value of land, creates diversity
of pursuits and thus adds to the revenue of
the State and the comfort of the people
With these views every State endeavoIs to
offer inducements not only TO its own citi-
zens, but to citizens of other States to enter
upon, occupy and improve its wholly or
partially unoceupied lands to feb its forests,
open its mines and manufacture their pro-
ducts into fabrics for the use of man. 1t is
also well known that the richer sections of a
country are quickly settled, while the poorer
are left unoccupied, and that in all civilized
communities there is natural tendency to
!.
eongregate in towns and cities, Idleness
everywhere and especially in cities and towns
is the source of untold evils and crimes. 1t
is obviously the interest of every state to
promote the settlement and Improvement
of all It's territory, and obyiate the tendency
to Capitalization How does the present
working Of our school laws operate upon
this point? What inducement does it offer
to be settler in the sparsely settled dis
tricts? Enormous taxes, short school TERMS
the smallest proportionate assistance from
the State, and hard labor and comparative
ignorance for himself and his children. On
the other hand, we find in the rich nd
already densely populated districts, are held
out the inducements, Of lands already clear
ed, long school terms, light taxes, compare
tive ease, with intelligent society and the
largest proportionate assistance from the
State, to bring still more where the popula-
ton is already overhowing. Who can
wonder then that the farmer moves to town
to educate his sons and daughters, even at
the risk Of all the dangers of town and city
life, or to the fag w est where the new States
hold out inducements superior to those he
has enjoyed among his native hills. Is it
| any won der under such circumstances that,
towns are crowded with idlers while the
rural districts are crying for laborers and
the farms lie waste Is it any wonder that
the sturdy sons of our noble State are
pouring in a steady stream into the wide
West, while her own broad acres are un-
occupied, her mineral wealth undeveloped
her manufacturing facilities unimpro we'd,
and her oil flowing ungathered to the
ocean. Yet these are the legitimate results
of an oppressive system of taxation in the
sparsely settled districts of the State. If
it was patiently borne the evil might be
less, though the injustice remained; but
it is not patiently borne, on the contrary
it is steadily and surely driving the young,
enterprising, and most valuable portion
of eur population from their native State
to seek more favored homes in the far
West. Such are the legitimate results Of
the present unfair method of raising reve-
nue. for school purposes, a system that
diseriminates against the poorer portions
of the State and in favor of the richer,
while the reverse should be the rule.
They can only be obyiated when the peo-
| pie in their majesty demand, that the
laws be so amended, that the poor shall
no longer be oppressed because of Their
poverty, nor the rich pampered because
of their wealth, but that eyen-handed
| justice be dispensed alike to all. How
this may be done we viii endeavor tc
show in our next.