The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-05-06
EXTORTIONATE TAXATION.

Tho people OF Massachusetts have petitioned
the Legislature 10 stop the wave of indebted
ness which threatens TO overwhelm the cities
and towns Of that State. The debts of these
corporations have reached such an altitude %
to injure business and alarm capitalists and
business men in serious manner They feel
that q remedy must he applied to protect their
interests, and hence their action in relation to
the matter. In answer to the people, . bill was
introduced in the lower branch Of the Legis-
lature, which prohibits towns and cities from
contracting any debt except for water works,
sewers, city halls, almshouses, and other inn
provements Of like character, and even debts
for these must be approved by two-third vote
of the citizens of a town or the councils of .
CITY, and paid in ten years. It also limits the
cent Of their property valuation, and requires
that tax sufficient to pay the interest and pro-
vide sinking fund Tor the extinction Of the
principal shall be annually levied Erchoags.
Every State should have such : pro.
vision in its laws.
Now the people are divided into two
classes:-the Taxpayers and the tax.
eaters. Carlyle said, ''Great Britain con-
ta;ns forty million inhabitants mostly
fools.'' The same is true of the United
States-and the ones that are not fools
are living on the rest.
St. Paul has got the disease in nm cpl
demic form. Its ravages are terrible.
The Chamber Of Commerce had discus.
sion Of tho topic the other day. We clip
an extract or two from the debate.
| Mr.. H. Thompson thought this was q sub
| ject worthy OF the Cham6er OF Commerce. He
| heartily endorsed Mr.. Hewitt's remarks rela
tive to the courage OF the gentleman who in
troduced the topic. He was glad the topic had
told him it was almost impossible to resist the
increase OF expenditure. Offices were created
to give persons q livelihood Wa have too
much governmental machinery. We have =
much Is il necessary for city Of 100, 600 In
habitants. He hoped that this matter would
the city 1t large There should be the same
retrenchment in the city government that
there is in individual business. There is no rea-
son why the city and county business should
not be conduc 1t reduced expense, just -
individuals had reduced the salaries Of their
employees.
Truman II. Smith was tired of hearing about
this park He was guardian for TIVE minor
children who had seven acres OF land npor
which they had to depend tor living. Be-
fore they were taken into the city they had TO
paw $40 tax, and now they were faxed 1885. \
this increase WAS made on other properly, the
entire debt of the city could be paid and I
500, 900 park purchased every year.
M. McClung wanted to see positive, not neg
alive. reform. He wanted men and corpora
tions to be compelled to pay their taxes. Re.
ducing salaries was not positive reform. Il
was necessary TO stop the leaks. While "
have been paying from two and hall TO foul
per cent for taxes they have been paying Nv
and six per cent, and the gross amount they
nav is greater than st. Paul. They had no
stopped the leaks, but had increased them b
having cheap officers. He favored sven In
creased expense Of the Board Of Health, Gs 1
saued life and kept tar payers from dying.
q This last reason is rich! A Board Q
Health must be maintained lest the peo.
pie should die and thus escape the gril
Of the tax collector. This reminds rs o
, the story Of the old money-lender VIII
burst into tears ct the sight Of IN in
scription on . Maidstone. Some ON
asked him If the deceased was relative
"No," said he, while the tears role
down his honest countenance, mo; b
he owed me 500 AID now I will never se
cent Of it,
, He ought 70 have had Board Of Healt
to keep him alive.