Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-31
J. DE Rarth shorb ON the Heath
AnAendment.

Editor HERALD
DEAR SIR death-llke calmness. dread
full augury Of evil seems to have settled
down on the mitndsSof the people of this
State at a time when all the self-respecttne
and patriotic citizens4of California should
be up aud doing to meet the greatest emerI
gency that has ever arisen in the history. ol
this State. refer to. the Heath Amend.
ment. which will be submitted 10 the quail
fed voters Of this State for their acceptance
or rejection on Tuesday next.
The Amendment was conceived in the
cauldron Of political dishonesty and fraud,
was born in init igue and debHuchery OF the
Legislative body, and II consummated at the
polls ON the day OF election, it will be done
and press of this State into silence. silence
would seem this time to be golden, If never
before. II this quotation be not apt, then
why this silence of nearly the entire press
aud the dumbness OF the leading orators ou
this. the greatest question Of the hour. DO
they realize the gravity of the danger to the
people OF this commonwealth, or are they
too busy in realizing something else?
The railroad Companies have heretofore
refused to pay the taxes levied sgainst
them on the grounds that the present sys
tenn OF taxation, as provided for IN the Con
stitution, is not uniform and equal as be.
tween individuals and themselves. Granted
that their statement Is correct, and there.
fore con titutes a legitimate reason why
they should refuse to pay their taxes, and tG
protect them in them i'll their refusal to in
yoke the protection OF the XIV Amendment
to the Constitution. Doesthe Heath Amend.
ment present such startling degree ot
uniformity as to escape the objections to
the present system? Every sane man who
can read and think knows thai If our pres
ent system is in contrayention OF the XIV
Amendment by want OF uniformity, Ger
tainly the Heath Amendment, being In
every respect less uniform, must fall to the
ground upon the same principles; and II
they could successfully evade and escaps
| their taxes under our present system they
surely could as we under the HEATH
Amendment lif adopted), and hence the
State would be powerless 10 enforce any
taxes against them.
Chancellor Harrison in his very able ad
dress delivered at Napa, October IA, says
us two and one-half per ceut. on the gross
earnings OF railroads equal to what they
the sum paid .by farmers. merchants and
other ctasses?" The statement OF the Secpe-
tary OF the State Board Of Equalization for
the year 1885 concerning the railroad com
panies In this State 10 as follows:
Railroad taxes levied $3.50, ,40S. ID; gross
earnings, tax at IN, $50, $40, 80.
The people lose and the railroads gain by
the adoption of the proposed amendment,
$478, ,06S,S3
This sum then would be theamount saved
the railroads II they thought 1t best to pay
AT all and would constitute that uniformity
in the Heath Amendment SO desirable and
for which they are cOntending.
1t is fair to assume II the provisions OF the
Heath Amendment formed the basis OF our
present system, and the provisions OF our
present system were proposed as the amend
ment with the gratifying result in savings
as above expressed in figures. then the
present law would be Immediately seized
with all the advantages OF the Heath
Amendment and the railroads would be
happy.
sion Of this amendment enough mas been
sage before the people Upon every ticket
will appear Amendment No. l. Yes or No.
Ii upon a majority OF the tickets polled the
fatal ',YesD appears, then the people OF this
state Will have declared in effect that they
have reiinquished their sovereignty ana
they had not the wisdom or virtue TO exer
II such a calamity overtakes us and the
Heath Amendment No. Is adopted warn
those who have accomplished this wrong,
that they will eventually curse the
mind who first conceived the Idea,
they will curse those who nursed 1t into life
and being, and will curse those whose pliani
wills enabled them to consummate this
outrage at the polls. further warn them
that the people of this State will never per
init the Heath amendments TO remain IN ouI
organic law ii adopted, but will agitate and
agitate for repee!s until they make the lives
OF the benefciaries of this wrong intoller
able--their' millions only burden and
death almost boon.
1 am respectfully,
]. DeBarth shorb.