Huntsville gazette., 1889-10-05
TAXES AND TYRANNY.

TAXES AND TYRANNY. n
Representation Denied Women Who Pay
for a vote-The Poll Tax and Military
Duty-Contaminating Effects of Suf-
frage. N
The Hartford (Ct,) Times lately ex-
pressed the opinion that women have
no right to complain of taxation with
out representation, since their property
sis taxed to support the necessary
measures to protect it'-police. fire de-
partment, etc. AS the Times truly
says, the property of a baby is taxed for
the same purpose. So is the property
of lunatic. In like manner, the estate
of a baby or a lunatic may properly be
charged with the cost Of his board and
lodging, without allowing him any
voice in the matter, because he is not
intelligent enough to be consulted in re-
gard to his own affairs. But when the
baby grows up, or the lunatic RECEIVERS
his sanity, he has right to choose
what sort of board and lodging he will
pay for, and of whom he will engage it
1t is perfectly right that women who
are taxpayers, as well as men who are
taxpayers, should pay for the protec-
tion their property receives; but they
have right to voice as to what sort
of protection they will pay for, and who
shall administer it. City officials are
elected, among other things, to protect
the citizens from Illicit liquor-selling,
from disorderly houses and similar nui-
sances. Sometimes, instead Of afford
ing the protection they are paid to
furnish, the city officials and police ap-
pointed by them connive at these viola
tions of law. Women who are tax
payers have to contribute money to help
pay these officials, without having any
power to turn them out if they fail to
perform their duties satisfactorily. 1t
is just so when it comes to electing
members of the Legislature, and all
other public officers. They may refuse
to spend any part of the tax-money for
purposes which the women think most
desirable-such as police matrons.
They may spend it lavishly for things
which women think needless and even
pernicious. But, though women must
help pay the bills, they have no voice
whatever in the spending of the money.
To be compelled to pay taxes, and to be
allowed no voice as to how the tax
money shall be spent or who shall
spend it-this is the very essence Of
taxation without representation
The Times says: ''Men pay poll
tax instead of doing military duty"
All men over forty five years are exempt
from military duty. but they are re-
quired to pay poll tax just the same.
The United States military statistics
taken at the time of the late war show
that the majority of doctors, lawyers,
ministers and editors whowere examin-
ed were found to be physically disquali-
fed for military service, and therefore
exempt neverless, a poll tax is levied up
on all Of them. and also upon the halt,
the lame and the blind. There is no re-
cognized connection between Inc poll
tax and military duty. There is some
connection between the poll tax and
the suffrage, however, at least in
Massachusetts,, where any man who
fails to pay his poll tax forfeits his
vote; and a small poll tax is levied up
on women who vote for school commit
tee. When women have full suffrage,
it will be perfectly proper that they
should pay the same poll tax as men.
The Times says: ''Most women are
opposed to the proposition to confer
suffrage upon their SEX" This is put
ting it more strongly than facts will
warrant. Most women are Indifferent
on the subject But wherever petitions
have been sent into the the Legisla-
ture, both for and against suffrage, the
petitioners in favor have always out
numbered those opposed, at least five
to one, and often fifty to one. OF the
women who take any lively interest in
the question either way, the great ma
jority are in favor. Those who are in
| different on the subject should be count
ed as neutrals, not as opposed. For
the rest, we do not propose to force
any woman to vote, but only to give
each woman the option of voting or
not. as she prefers
That suffrage would drag women
down rather than elevate them,n there