Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-03-03
Unequal Taxation.
pooLrsylLLr. March |. 70

! Mr. Editor Having read astalement made
| by disung senator OF our present
| lie. isaturt setting forth the fact that about
| oue-hali Of the tuxable property OF Ibis State
! is exempt from taxation, | am Impressed with
| The iorce OF that passage OF Scripture which
| SANS, Unto every one which bath shall be
| given, aud from him that bath not even thai
ne bath shall be taken away from him, when
M piled to persons and things on this "ie.res
I maj bail OF ours, and in nothing more So
than in The working oi The law. The truth oi
Tins is SO apparent that when applied 10 TEL
/ restful things gnd 10 persons Of moderate
! means, il has been reduced 10 a proverb-
hen man u poor, keep him poor
| Charity when il does not tegiu al home
and il too often does with the Iegisaor--is
\ generally exercised toward those least in need
OF help. Esen-handed justice IL seldom dealt
/ out 10 rich and poor alke. Although the
| strong ann OF The farmer is the Chief supp ri
oi almost every country, YET he Is called upon
| 10 bta heavier burdens VI taxation Than be- 4
! mi OF great nieans, who not so much MS
raised finger 10 promote the'genefa welfare
OF his country. He sows not, neither does
he spin" but he invests his boards in Govern
men bonds, he stock OF rich corporations
that pays heavy dividends aud is not taxed,
and is thus free from all concern us to the
wants OF his country or his fellow man.
| The person Of moderate means generally
| speaking The most useful aud Trustworthy
cuIZen, eugrossed with his private affairs.
! loses sight oi his public Interests, until they
are destroyed BY The acts OF ''Dumpkul- head
cd Tor rather pumpkin aearted) legislators
| ~hose work is ia the interest of kiusmen, la
voriles and Uribers. He thai has the most in-
fuence or pays the hie hest wages secures
The best workers and obtains the most iavors,
| 50 that the law usually Discriminate in favor
| ui the rleh when justice or me, cy would seem
| to dictate The contrary. To prove The truth
OF this, many cases might be cited where the
law seems 10 have been intended 10 grind
down the poor
The highway law, existing in some of the
States, is striking example OF The unarness
of legislation. Under this law everyone over
otp five years OF age, however great may be
his means, or however able-budicd he NAV be
IS not required TO pay dollar in cash or 10
do stroke Of WORK to keep the roads in re-
pair, while all under the limit in age are re-
CURED either 10 put in certain amount Of
work or furnish substitute. Of course uu-
der this law, all over forty-tive years oil age
contribute not mite 10 keep the roads in or
der, although they may have their teams con
siantly upon the road, while the poor fellow.
whose only means OF wearing out the roads
come from The Of pair OF heavy boots
thereon, contributes "a fail share Of labor to
| public work which he can never expect 10 use
Another example of unjust legislation was
the license law which ouce existed in an ad-
Joining State Under this law the peddler,
who transported his notions with a horse and
wagon, was required To pay but fifteen dollars
for the happy privilege of riding, with the
iree use Of the highway, while the poor I'M
Fortunate who, like the tortoise, bore his all
upon his back, was made TO pay twenty-five
dollars license. This object OF this law WAS 10
lax nuisance to death.
Excessive taxation may be an EASY way Of
choking out n nuisance, and it is just as err
tain TO break down every natioua! interest
with which il comes in conflict. Is no: this
one Of the causes Of the lapguIshing condition
Of the agricultural Interests OF the c0unttv
and which drives farmers from their homes TO
find employ ment which pays better. and, AT
the same time, fres from The burdens Of taxa
ton Is it not The cause Of men DESERVING
the old homestead, endeared by lie long as
socialions, to hover around the petty office AS
thick us yulurss over the lfeess carcass?
No wonder that grabbing" is 80 much ia
vogue in this country when it is encouraged
and sustained ny legislation. 0ne-half Of The
taxable property of the State free from taxa
ton Whai an example OF progress is Ibis
for the centennial ytar Such progression
backward will soon bring us 10 Chinese or
Turkish despOtism. Labor taxed and ca pita
the main exhibition building, al Philadelphia
to show the progress of ths 'greatesl nation
the sun ever shone on - When will the han.
~ day roll round when President Jackson
shall make distrihution OF the national
funds Not, certainly, while the producer is
c'iled upon to tear the whole burden of taxa.
zion. Not while Sa1born contracts are so
prevalent while Indian Commissioners are
left unhung while pab,ce cars and free pas
| o. are n M hitr tIa prpaidantfs
family are allowed to engage in crooked
whisky
Mr. Editor, the evils mentioned are familiar
10 all but few can lie found hardy enough TO
lay them al the feet OF the guilty and so
wide spread and contagious s corruption in
our national Affars thai he who would cry
out against hem is scpfipd q fool and
hspocrile This was strikiugly show in the
case of distinguished Senator from the State
Of California, a performer y Never before
had a Republican Senate received such nm
merriful lashing as was administered hs thai
powerful champion Of reform He lost no OPP
portunity OF laying the rod OF accusation
For while his friends applanded while his
foes cursed him but il was not long hefore
even his friends turned from him with suspi-
cion and disgust, and when he would enter
their caucnses. he could hear such expressions
as There comes Old Corruption again, II
wish to Heaven the old tool would make haste
and die
Mr. Editor. for fear that such anathemas
NAV he breathed out against your correspon-
dent, he will say no more against an eya that
seems amos, without a remedy. Unequal
taxation has existed 50 long hat, sinauarly
enough. they upon whom taxation rests henvi-
est seem 20 have their backs fitted 10 their bur
deus and bear them unmurmurinrlr, while
capitalists Yielding TO motives Of sclf-inieres,
and void of The notler impulses of justice and
mercy, will never use their influence in de-
stroNing an evil over which they have entire
control. Verify, old solomon was right when
he said Riches maketh many friends. but the
poor is separated from bis neighbor."
Y.
I'D LUMBER AT REDUCED PRICES 1EN
SEE