Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-09
THE Few TAXED FOR TIE BENE-
FIT or TIE MANY.

RI VIZ 4 u MiAf =
The Texas homestead law has repeat
edly and frultlessly been condemned az r
bar to progress II Is nothing else but
It Is not alone In that office. There is
another defect Of our constitution aud
laws which Is as much against the wei
fare OF the state as the homestead law.
That is the prohibition against any county
or city voting TO tax itself TO aid the
building Of railroads or other enterprises
of quasl-public character.
II is unpopular TO say go, but It Is new
crtheless true, that there should be no
denial OF the right OF community to vote
aid TO any enterprise from which II ex-
poets TO reap profit why should not
a people be allowed to tax Itself q
hundred thousand dollars to build a
railroad, II the railroad is worth million
dollars to it? The objection is, that the
men who do not want 10 contribute to
such purpose are compelled TO give II
majority OF the voters wish TO 90 so. We
cannot see that they suffer much because
ofsuch compulsion. II they have prop
erty to be taxed, they gain NJ much from
the increase in value of their property as
anybody who is in favor Of taxation
while II they have no property TO partake
OF the enhanced values, neither have they
any taxes TO pay,
Vc huve A cosn In nnirt g,rt uy,~th
is asked to give $4,000 to secure the
Gulf, Colorado s Santa Fe railroad. This
sum must be raised by voluntary con.
tributions. A few men viii give the
money. Others with as much interest In
Fort Worth, will refuse TO give cent, be
lleving that the bonus will be raised any
how. The men who pay for the road do
so because they expect to mako money
by IL. They can afford TO give five per cent.
OF the value of their real estate II by do
Ing so they can enhance that value TWEEN
ty-6yo per cent. bnt the men who refuse
TO give anything, or who give only a
misery sum, are as much benefited by
the road as those who gave literally.
When all are TO receive equal benefits, all
should bo2ran equal expense in proper
ton to their ownlugs of real estate. A
general tax would cquallze this expense,
as all would pay It in proportion to their
assessed wealth,
There are hundreds OF thousands OF dol
lars invested In Fort Worth by people
who live In other states. They bought
the property on speculation. They are
holding Il for arise, to sell at great
profit The building of the Santa Fe
road would add thousands OF dollars to
their wealth, but they will net give any
thing 10 its building. II we could vote a
tax, they would have to pay in the same
proportion as othersfor expected BENEFITS
A tax Of les0 than one-third OF one per
cent. of the assessed valuation Of Fort
Worth would We sulksIcnt to raise the
money asked by che Santa Fe road. Some
mon will give as much as ten per cent, Of
their assessed wealth. Others will give
nothing.
Therefore the legal inability to vote
general tax is oppressive ard acts against
the establishment Of great enterprises.
The people should be allowed TO tax
themselves for their own good, II a major
ity of them want TO. The right to do so
should, OF course, be guarded so as to
prevent excuses, A iImit should be
liked, so that the taxes voted should not
exceed fixed proportion os the taxable
property, With this proysso, there is
nothing unwise or dangerous In giving
communities the right to tax themselves
for the general good. Many OF our
wealthlest and most progressive states
give their citizens this power-or, rather,
hey hayenot deprived them Of It.
We can well understand the hostility Of
he people OF Texas to such proylso
'f!er che war when the state and county