Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-11-26
Agents for the "Teller.'


The question of taxation is one in
which every citizen and resident has
an interest. Person and property are
to be protected by it, and all of the
paraphernalia Of government must be
supported out of the proceeds of taxa
ton. Every good citizen will cheer
fully pay his pro rata to support the
government under which he lives, and
which affords to him and his property
protection. The principle which I'M
deries al! just taxation is its uniform
ity and equality as enforced upon all
citizens alike according to their indi-
viduality and their property The
only class Of property which Of right
and justice should ever he exempt is
public property or that which belongs
to TIE whole body polite and is under
the control of the whole people or
their duly constituted officers; and
even this exemption is simply to save
the necessity Of taking from the pub
lie treasury money to pay taxes winch
goes directly again into the same treas
ury, thereby saving the percentage
which otherwise would be allowed to
the collector of revenue. But of late
years there has been begotten false
and dangerous sentiment that certain
persons who, in seeking to enrich
themselves, thereby enrich, or, in some
measure, confer benefit upon the
public or portion of he public, and
their property invested in enterprises
that have an indirect tendency to aid
portion Of the public, should be ex
empt from taxation, and in proportion
to the magnitude of the enterprises
which these persons inausurate, in the
same proportion it is urged that they
and their property should be exempted
from contributing to the support of
the government that fosters and pro-
tects them. TO us it has seemed that
the persons who seek to encourage
this sentiment must presume largely
upon the credulity of the people who
are to pay axes; that they must i'm
agins that in the strong desire of the
people to have inaugurated some en-.
terprise they become totally blind to
the object and purpose of taxation,
and who are to be affected by an I'M
equal taxation. We will admit that
railroads open up and confer great
benefits upon the people Of country,
and more immediate benefits upon a
new and sparsely populated country,
and that in new ard sparsely populat-
cd countries the Inducements are not
always so great for capitalists to in
vest their money in railroads, and that
thsre may he seeming necessity thak
some extraordinary inducement he
held out, either by citizens of these
sparsely populated districts or by the
government, for them to inves their
money and build such roads. But
there is no logic in this specious ne
csssity as it is claimed 1t should
never be considered with the question
of taxation or exemption from taxa
ton. 1t a man own land in his own
right, and railroad company propose
to him that they will build through
portion Of that land on condition tina.
he will give them right of way, and
that they will construct depot upon
it, provided he will give to them the
ground necessary for depot purposes,
there can be no objection to such a
bargain between the sailroad men and
the land owner. The same may be
true where the government own the
soil. The government may grant the
right OF way and may give additional
lands as an inducement to a railroad
enterprise, (although this latter is Sc.
riously questioned by some,) because
this is deemed as a contract for the
direct benefit of both parties to it and
does not affect the, rights of others.
But where taxes are levied for the
Import of the government and the
sssction OF evory man under that
eminent no citizens, no non-resi-
property within the Jurisdiction