The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-03-07
TIE FINANCIAL CONFLICT.
the Rich are exempt rom Taxes; the
Laborer paws Them.


HXlng the basis Of society than that Of
perfect equality Of taxation.
Taxes are the proportionate con
tribution OF person and property lev
led by the state for the support OF
government Montesquin says
they are a portion which each person
gives OF his property that he may en-
JOY the remainder. They are the
measure OF every man > duty in sup
port Of public burdens
- long as the power to tax is fairly
exercised. it is q salutary power; eut
1t is 4 dangerous power, for there
does not seem TO be any exact limit to
It's exercise. 1t is one of she highest
prerogatlyes OF soyereigntv; leglsla-
tive caution IS it limit.
England asserted the right to tax
the colonies without giving them any
voice IN the legislation establishing
The right or Is exercise. 1t was not
claimed that the taxes levied were OPP
pressIVe or unequal, but it was claim
ed that the right to tax without rep
re6entati0n was arbitrary, unjust, and
Liable TO great abuse. The colonies
would not submit 10 it, They REBEL
ed. Liberty followed.
Since the battle Of Yorktown, es-
pecially since the heroic abnegations
Of the night Of the 4Uh OF August.
1889, when absolute equality Of bur
dens were 10 be measured by absolute
comparative ability to meet them,
there has not been single cou5citu-
ton formed. state or national, that
has not recognized, and, either di-
rectiy or indirectly, announced as a
principle, that uniformity and equali-
ty III leyylng ytaXe5 was to be consid-
cred as fundamental and undeniable.
And yet, in defiance of this aXiomat-
n rule Of all civilization, the govern
mcnI Of the United States-states,
counties, and t0wns-to win tempo
rary supposed advantage, have ex-
empyed bonds absorbing q large pro-
portion Of the wealth. Of the people
from taxation. They have said to
capitalists; Invest your money in
my bonds, aud to that extent you
shal be exempt from taxes"
The law authorizing the exemption
is not q law. & Il al outrage. It was
not created by legislature legislating
for the nation Is conception was \
fraud The cradle thatroched it into
quiet was maize up oil subsidies, and
threats, and wrongs. " hat right has
any Legislator to say that *. living in
tAes9me city, same street, in a house
exae ly like thai Of 3. shall pay B's
taxesl
1t Is m outrage, and yet it S fact.
IL Is supported by congressional
enactments, but is none the less an
infamy-noue the less i wrong. A
higher law than any congressional
mandate imposed upon the people by
the greed and presumption Of capital,
denounces it rs opposed TO every prin-
ciple of equality, to the spirit OF every
constitution, state and national, as it
is opposed TO common sense and 10
The common rights OF every citizen
not directly benefited by it.
Ne sophlstry can gloss it into the
semblance Of Justice. The excuse is.
that rhe more attractive the bonds
could he made, Inc higher the price
they would bring and that the whole
community was benefited by this to
IN extent more than equal to the bur
den il imposed. Well. these bonds
were SO attractive that they were sold
at from 44 10 - cents on the dollar.
and the poor purchaser not only gets
100 cents tor that which he paid II
for hut he gets gold interest on the
nar sum, aud makes his aeIghb0r pay
has taxes.
Gloss it as vou viii, It is Infamous.
emf vet the whole subsidized press is
iu lamentations lest the poor bond
holder should be obliged t0 take part
o. his pay inSilverl
Let rs see whore the principle leads
us. There is today AZ least 5000
100000 of bonds United States. state
AMI municipal now in the hands Of
capitalists bearing this exemption.
More than one-h4lf of this is In nited
states b0nds-s8y. 81 500 91o,00o
The aggregate Of car wealth vii. not
exceed $50, 1000, 100000. 50 that one.
tenth 81 the whole wealth IF che m.
fion Is exempt from taxation. and
probably ere half Of the personal
property aG the nation that is, OF
bombs, mortgages. notes ANA secure
tles-slre eNempe fsom .AAes.
Thousands WHO .Fe Is bheAs every
r9ds Aut themselves uers money
uaEs nS3rers, waose souls ara us hard
It's air har3-mopeg fheor4 es-awn
he 8aal aai uaxe an their property ii
oa3s exempt FROM taxation. There
af 4f itast uus hundred thousand 0f
tsa money vampires I'll the nited
states. whose taxes the poor men pan.
3ae ot $50 most fruitful causes I'd
ne French revolution of 1850 was
th4t the people BEL d To pay the taxes