The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-26
THE POLL TAX.


To THE EDITOR: wish to ask the advice of
those better posted on the subject than !, as to
whether ordinance No. 1,743, relating to the as
sessment and collection OF a road poll tax, is
fair and just measure to me. and also whether
it is legal / know there is always large
amount OF 'kick" against every new tax law,
and am not kicking against it as a tax measure
applied to your own citizens, or those who have
been here the constitutional time to entitle
them to citizenship, but / do object to its en-
forcement and collection from me, for these
reasons:
First-I arrived in this city and state the 14th
day of April, 1891, and consequently have been
here only little over two months-not length
of time enough to give me the voting right, and
protest against the city's taxing my right to
vote while it denies me the franchise until
have been resident one year. am white
citizen and no criminal. The city taxes my vote,
but at the same time denies it to me.
second-1 have paid one poll tax in New York
state this last spring, before coming out here.
There the poll tax is usually worked out on the
road, and all the receipt that is used is an "X'
| opposite your name, showing that your days
| work has been done.
Third confess ignorance of washiugton's
| laws. and what power she has, but l once read
the constitution of the United States and IL
runs in my mind that that article forbids any
| state 10 enact law which discriminates against
! citizen of another state il favor of its own
II that is true. then in this case the citizen of
| this state pays q poll tax and has the privilege
4 OF voting, while I, citizen OF New York state,
! am required TO pay poll tax and have not the
/ some one look this up and let US know through
Your valuable medium
FOURTH would like TO know T. Washington
| has the right 10 collect tax Of any description
| in advance never heard Of q state attemptin
| to collect a tax within ten DAYS OF its assess
/ r. Vol an
schools, are assessed from May to August. and
| collected in the following January. This makes
| 1890 taxes payable in 1891
| understand that city taxes for 1890 are due
| November :, 1890. to March l. 1891, and are de-
] Enquent at this latter date. Since was not in
| the state st either of these dates or between
/ them, am liable TO pay an 1880 taxi
| Fifth am inclined TO think that the ordi.
nance referred 20 was not intended 20 tax an in
haoitant OF the state, for the reason that il has
specified one year as the time In which an in
babitant becomes citizen. All citizens are sup
posed to contribute towards the expenses OF the
/ government, but not inhabitants, EXCEPT I'm a
] very indirect manner. Now, if you tax inhshi.
/ tants, has the state made any laws specifying
| when a man is inhsbitant and when he ia
not? Does il insist that visitor 10 the city or
state is an .nhabitant and therefore liable To
/ contribute 70 the city's expensesf / dare saw
| that some days there are hundreds and perhaps
4
and from foreign countries arriving in this state
city, and does the city expect or desire TO col
| lect from ali the male travellers this 81 taxi The
4 lodging houses, the hotels and streets ara
/ full OF people here today and away
tomorrow. Some stay five minutes, and
/ others days or months, as the case
may be. Are they inhabitants for the purpose
/ of taxation and not for any other purpose ,
/ Docs the fact of one getting Job or starting
some little business where he has 10 paw an ex
! orbitsnt rental constitute him an inhabitant
for the purpose of taxation but not for the priyi
/ legs OF voting?
Sixth-Whsn this state taxes person who has
/ just arrived here and who is liable at snv
1 minute to move out and who 10 not here az a
permanent resident, but only looking TO secure
| such permanent residence, / think il is NOTHING
1 more or less than q tax on free intercourse -
/ tween the states, aud IS not allowed on produce
| or manufactured goods and I don't believe
would be allowed on travellers II the perxon a.
| taxed had the time, money and spunk to take {,
| to the United States courts
But the city, relying on the smallness OF tina
amount, thinks tina; the people will nav I,
| rather than be put TO all the trouble fnesdsnt
| 70 legal fight, and thereby wrings from, tha
poor of the land q large proportion Of its ex.
peases.
an alaw-soiding citizen every time. and
would deny myself necessary clething, IL need
De, tn pay any just tar, but fail 70 sea tha
Justice OF this demand; and because I am Too
poor 10 employ counsel snd find out nv rights
am Obliged 10 ask some lawyer 70 LEI me havs
his opinion on the case CT roo~