The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-10-01
The State Grange.

Before the next issue of the Pa
IRON the State Grange will have
convened; like all meetings of the
State Grange that has preceded 1t,
there will be questions presented to
be passed upon of Importance, not
only to the Order, but to the farmers
generally. To none of which will
greater importance attach, than TO
the one relating to the best method
of deriving a revenue to support our
State, County and Municipal Gov
ernments. To us three methods pre-
sent themselves as being pre-emin-
emily, above all others, the least bur-
densome and doing equal and exact
justice to all classes. They are first,
an income tax ; second. a "Mofiit Bell
Punch tax; and third, license for
certain kinds of Business, and for
franchises. An income tax will reach
class of persons who never have,
nor ever will contribute their share
to the support of the government
they enjoy the benefits of, as long as
the property tax system Is in opera
ton. There are a. large number of
men who receive yearly income of
from two to twenty thousand dol
lars who do not contribute as much
to the support of the government as
the farmer who lives on the poorest
100 acres of land in the State, or many
of the laboring men and mechanics
who receive but or 4 dollars per
day. Yet they require and receive
20 times the amount of support and
protection from the government as
do the farm or the home of the me-
chanic or laboring men. The second
method is that of the use of the
"Moflit Bell-Punch." While il is be-
lieved that revenue of at least u
million and half of dollars would
be derived from It's use annually, yet
it would be the least burdensome of
all taxes to those who pay it.
The third method, that of making
corporations and persons pay for Ii
ccnse for franchises and for conduct
ing certain kinds of business, that
would be difficult to reach by an in
come tax. We believe if the meth
DDS here referred to were carried out,
they would not only be Just to all,
but IL would place the support of the
government principally upon those
who receive the greatest protection
| from il. Another question which
should be passed upon by the Grange,
is that of having a clause in the new
constitution giving taxpayers the
right to pay their taxes III any mon
ey coined or printed by the govern
ment. There is 10 sense, besides il
is rank injustice, to pay the farmer
for his product and the laborer for
his work, in a deprecated currency,
made so by legislation, when the
governor and lesser officers of gov
eminent must be paid In gold.
Away with such favoritism ; let there
be equal and exact justice TO all, let
there be but one currency for the
rich and the poor, for the oiiicc-hold-
er and for the non-otlice holder,
These are two of the most import
ant political questions that will come
before the Grange, for an expression
Of its opinion.
Other questions, relating more par
tiCularly to the working of the Or
der, will come up for action, among
which will be one TO reduce the num-
Der of delegates to the State Grange.
The authors of this proposed amend
ment believe the present mode of
representation makes the State
Grange too large and unwieldly for
the rapid transaction of business.
Action will be had with view to
amend the National Grange Consti-
tuition to the end that subordinate
Oranges may elect delegate or
delegates TO the State Grange in case
of the inability or the non-desirc OF
the Master to attend its meetings.
Another question of considerable in
tcrest to the Order is a proposition
to make ii more of beneficial insti-
tuition than il is at present.
II is believed by many that the
next State Grange will be more fully
attended than any of its predecessors.
California Patron.