, 1876-03-12


horde Of tax-eaters in Chicago has increase
steadily and enormously for the past fe'
years, until they are now counted by II
thousand, and they are supported at q cost {
nearly $4,000, 900 annually, including count,
city, and town taxes, or nearly as much none
as it cost to defray the expenses Of th
United States Government under Preside1
ADAMS Administration. They make commo
cause against all the Taxpayers, but nc
always in the same way. They make an ope
war on the apparent taxpayers in the cor
sciousncss that they connot get their suppo,
under any circumstances, but they conci!iat
that class who apparently pay but little q
no taxes, and secure their votes under th
| misappreheusion that tax-eating in no wis
! affects their interests, These taz-eaters ca
only be defeated by the opposition of bot
classes Of taxpayers, and it should be tn
aim of municipal reformcrs to pnite them t.
| this end.
First, rs to the apparent tax-payers,-tht
property owners and business men who pa1
over the money to the City and Count,
Collectors: These gentlemen have cultivated
the habit heretofore of ignoring local polite:
es something beneath their notice. They
have supposed that they could not descend
to an actual personal contact with local DO
itical affairs without soiling their garment.
and communicating their morals. They have
conceived that to minsle in ward meetings,
attend primaries, and put in an appearance
at conventions, would be to associate them
selves WITH the bummers, ead that such as
sociation would damage them in q bust
ness and SOCIAL way. Fortunately this class
Of citizens is overcoming its foolish
prejudice. 1t has found the luxury
Of pride too costly to indulge in this
respect. It has discovered that holding aloof
from local politics can only be done at the
cost OF actual con6scation Of property: The
apparent taxpayers hay5 determined, there
fore, to go into politics. They are joining
the ward clubs. They are p1edging them
selves to 60 TO the primaries. They arc
willing to do political work at which they
have heretofore elevated their noses. They
have made up their minds to do what they
can to reduce the rank growth they have en-
couragsd by their inattention- They are
persuaded that at least one-third Of the
amount Of money that is expended annually
for the support OF the City and County Gov
can be sayed, and they are going
about the work with will and with iude-
ment that have been notably lacking for
many years
In order to insure the SUCCESS Of the war
upon tax-thieves, however, it is necessary to
have the cooperation Of at least portion of
hat lacge class Of voters who are ignorant of
he f2ct that they help to pay the taxes, and
rho have been steadily voting against
heir OWL interests and with the tax
'ate1s. It should be the aim Of the
Owners and business men who have
blast developed some concern in local poll
les to explain to the lahoring and salaried
lasses who think they pay no taxes how &c.
lously their interests are really affected. |
'ake the case Of man who owns an unim- |
roVed piece of property, and vino refuses to |
ulld on it because he knows that he cannot |
car the extra burden OF taxation. He re-
uses to increase his tax list BY S1oo, 1000,
'hich VIC will say his improvements would
ost, conscious that he cannot get enough
sntd to enable him to pay or rer cent
ISes and earn fair interest on the money
vested He does not build There is then
loss OF that amount Of money to the brick
a6ers, the stone-cutterE, the lumbermen, tho
asons, carpenters, roofers, and mechanics
ii laborers Of all kinds who would be EN-
Dyed during the suramer in the erection Of
building If it we're not for the outrageous
" Of the tax-thieves. Yet it is probable
at every one OF the voters who micht
'Te had employment at good wages but
the excessive taxation had voted at
q previous election with the tax-t}ieves
d against. the tar payers. If the ef-
It Of their votes we're properly
planned to them they would without doubt
loose from the tax-eatcrs, with whom |
~ have no interest lin common. Take q
anufacturer, for another instance, who is
slrous OF extending his works, but is re-
aimed from doing so by the excess Of ta1s- .
n; be not only declines to extend his bnsi- ;
IS, but he retrenches in every way he can
enable him to Offset the burden of taxes, | I
runs his works On short time, he reduces !
number OF his employees, and cuts down IT
Bes. In every one Of these cases the
or1ns men suffer in the same proportion c
their employers. So with machine~shops.
supply-stores, and wholesale business Of t
Kinds: the salaried classes must perforce !
re- with the moneyad classes the hardsbips | .
ldent to oVer-ta1ation.
-ne property owners can best serve their n
4 interests and those OF the city by taking i
7s to bring the fact home to those who
'arenty pay no taxes that every man. | ii
ether he OWLS property or not, and ] d
ether he is in business for himsen or al
Ks on wages, is in point of fact tax q
er, unless he holds office or in SONS other c
possesses himself Of part of the pub +.
moneys raised by taxation To nut the =
'le case curtly, every man is tas:psyer :. y.
Is not a ta1-eater, and every man is in r
sted IN reduction Of taxation who does3 a,