The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-02
BE Consistent-rhe Whole swine or No n,

DC NOnsistent-khe WnOle SWine or NO ne
DALLAS, March II Editor HERALD. In
their application to the legislature for add
ing to Dallas d large territory of farmers
and other cultivators OF the soil OF the
north, east and south, in order TO tax them
for paving the streets of the city, paying
the city police, city water works, city gas
lights, and all of the other many city ex-
penditures, for which farmers have no use,
they have manifested gross inCom petence
as iinanciers, gross Partially for some folks
over others, or holy dread of them as citi-
zens of the city. In either case they are
Inconsistent. Why did they fail to ask
for similar enlargement across the
river Oh the west, so as TO take in the "emi-
nence," or nortu point of Cedar mountain,
with all its altitudinous beauty of land
scape, gushing springs, farms, orchards and
gardens? They are nearer the court house
than those sought to be taken in, and more
accessible over u tree bridge and the finest
turnpike in the state. By extending the
limits over there as far from the river as on
this side, the courthouse, standing in
hundred yards Of the river bank, would
be in the geographical center of the
city, and we would have within
our municipal limits a dozen or more
splendid sites for the location Of summer
resorts for the weary and infirm-
to say nothing of beer gardens,
dance halls and picnics. If it is WISE, just
and legal 10 force farmers, fruit-growers,
nurserymen, gardeners and the owners Of
pastures into the city against their uuani-
nous protest, who live Two or three miles
| from the courthouse and centre of business
on the east side of the river, is it not equally
wise, just and legal to capture those on the
west, who are nearer the courthouse? If it
is right to force A., who lives three miles
northeast or southeast, or two and o half
miles east OF the courthouse, to come
in and pay city taxes because he lives
near and his property is enhanced in value,
land this Is the only argument ever heard
| from an ,.nneXauons) then should not
Colonel s., Major r., DR.. H., Mr.. b., Mr..
| 2. s. b. and many others who live in within
| a mile anu hall OF the court house on the
west, be honored In the same parental
style? If the object Is to restore the arbi-
trary spirit of the days Of reconstruction,
when ulstranchisement was enthroned and
the governor appointed all town officers
without the consent of the people, when
taxation and representation were pulled
wide asunder, then why not 60 the whole
animal and say to the people on the
west side, rs they (the counciD are trying
to say to those on the east; You live
near a great and tlourishing town, which
adds to the value OF your property, aud
you must, therefore, be annexed TO il, in
order that we may tax you to pay the eX-
penses Of the town government, and pave
the streets, light them with gas supply
them with water, protect them against fire
and pay their police. True, none of these
will benefit you, but we have not hun
| irni ra tApt Df m N tina whplp
town-not even in the business centre,
where our richest men own the land and
houses, and you must be taxed to
help remedy this crying evil. Il
You don't like it, sell to somebody Nho can
appreciate the blessings OF living near q
city," To accomplish such objects over the
united will of whole communities this is
the only logical argument, and It possesses
the merit of being selt-asserting and self
adjusting ready ut any and nll times to be
invoked by the city father, uutd Dallas
might be extended (on paper and for taxing
purposes) to include the whole county.
Once surmount the great fundamental bar
rier Of free, popular goyernmeNt-trample
under foo, the first and dearest principle Of
America liberty, in the ri, ut Of the
people to choose their own form OF
of governmeut-iorce these three commu-
mites living on the north, the east and the
southeast side of the town, almost ex.
clusNely farmers, gardeners, orohardists,
etc., to come into the city by extending
your lines over them, for the sole purpose
of imposing city taxes on them, from which
il is notorious they can derive no CORE
spending benefit, and it is not given TO us
to conjecture the lengths to which Tex
tension may be carried in the desire IL
levy tribute upon one community for the
.tan NJ hAN hA
verse neutrality-suspicious. to the founders
If our liberty---is to enlarge city bounda'
ries by Che consent of those
to be annexed, expressed by minority
vote through the ballot-box. This is the
essence of liberty. Its antipode is despot
ism, whether executed by an autocrat or ar
American legislature. And let II not b.
forgotten that some of these farners were
holding the plow. handles on their present
farms before single member Of the present
city council ever set foot in Dallas, and con