The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-09-19
OUR TAXES.

Perhaps there never was a COM
munity in the United States where tax
alton was so discriminating or
unequally applied as it is in
Utah. Anyone will admit with
out argument that money must be
raised for the successful conduct of in
ternal affairs and the support of the
government, and this money is not self
creative, but must be raised from the
property of the people by means of di-
rect levies; but the correct theory is to
tax according to values and inter
ests, SO that rich and poor will bear
their proportion of the general burden.
This being the case, we reaffirm that our
/ local revenue law is very imperfect
0mitting discussion of one of the
fundamental principles underlying our
system of government, that there should
be no taxation without representation,
while number of the people of Utah
are disfranchised but taxed right along
just the same-we will say what was in
tended to be said when this article
was commenced. Can any person
who has heart, soul and mind,
find a justification for a taxation law
which enables the assessor and collector
TO sell the property of the poor to
liquidate public obligations, and be un-
able to reach that of the rich? Ii he
can, we should like to have it; yet that
is the condition of things which stares
us in the face to-day. a widows only
COW can be taken from her and sold
and by the bye this kind of thing is
sometimes done, in order that her pro
rata of the public requirements may be
obtained, while the owner of mine
which produces millions may not be
called upon at all. This may be de-
nounced as threadbare, hackneyed and
out of date, but it is a good subject
nevertheless.
The Liberal party's principal organ in
this city is greatly addicted to statements
the object of which is to place those who
control locally at a disadvantage and
cause them to appear unfayorably be-
fore the world. Nothing suggestive of
misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeas-
ance in office on the part OF the controll-
ing power here has been too vile for adj
mission into the columns of that
paper; there could, it would seem.
be nothing good come from the majority
of the people of Utah; they are made to
appear as hating everybody and every
thing not in consonance with them
selves and their position. They are not
even given credit for public spirit when
they seek to establish and conduct non
sectarian schools, though they propose
to do their full part in the matter of
expense; they not only propose,
but they do; they act whether
aided and abetted by their OPP
ponents or not. They construct public
buildings of every kind out of their
small possessions and earnings with or
without the assistance of the other side.
and entirely unaided by the presently
greatest: money-producing element of
the Territory; go right ahead and at
tend to their own affairs; make no re-
sistance to the process of courts; do as
well as they know how-and are re-
warded by the consciousness of having
done their duty; rarely otherwise.
If it is fact that the mining resources
of the Territory require the protection
of non-taxation in order that they may
be completely developed; if the risk
which those who conduct or start such
enterprises run, is so great that thew
should be specially encouraged neither
of which propositions is denied-does it
not sometimes occur to those who are
so loud-mouthed in their denunciation
of the bulk of the people of Utah because
of their alleged misdeeds and .miscal-
that, Notwithstanding the
probability Of their being unable to keen
up with the speculative and orthodox |
procession at all times, they generally |
contribute from what they have for |
public purposes with less complaint or
resistance than do many of their neigh
oors who are financially in better cir
We hope so, for the sake
IF common justice.
1t is claimed by the paper above re-