The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-03-28
shake OF the dust that blinds thy sight "

shake OF the dust that blinds thy sight
Yes. shake off the dust and read.
reflect, see and know just what there
is in this piece of legerdenain called
by the bon-tOns-new charter-and
by the common people-"tax-grabber."
will now introduce to kind con-
sidcration section 1901, which pro-
vides that streets may be brought to
grade and special tax-bills issued
therefor. whenever in the opinion of
the Council the general revenue fund
was not in a condition TO warrant the
expenditure. The question arises at
this point. will there cver be sufficient
funds in this so cents on the 800
fund. when there are other sections
in this statute which provides for this
by special taxation and special tax
bills.
1t is plainly developed, that this en-
tire statute is framed for the purpose
of making the property AUDITING on
the streets pay for grading, macadam-
izins; %guttering. paving, curbing, sew
ering and repairing all streets, alleys.
squares and areas formed by the cross
ing streets. Section 1902 provides
that the City Council shall have power
TO levy taxes annually i'm addition to
other taxes for the purpose of paying
interest on bonds. But section 1903
is the most important m of all to the
poor people of Cape Girardeau. II
empowers the Council to impose a
poll tax upon every able bodied male
citizen between the ages of 81 and so
years, who have been in the city so
days next preceding the levy. All,
me. amt we tax-ridden under this
beautiful charter. Oh. yes. and l VEN
ture the assertion, that if the new
charter passes and a majority of the
present Council are elected, it will not
be many months ere they pass a stamp
act, and every man, woman or child
caught on the streets without being
properly and appropriately stamped,
will be arrested and fined-adding
still another sOurce of revenue. All!
but won't u little city get rich and
won't the poor get poorer?
The next important section of taxa
ton is 1906, and is styled the license
tax, which provides a tax license upon
nearly or quite a hundred persons,
places and things, and appears to
make taxation complete until we reach
the next section. 1907. which imposes
upon merchants an dd rulorem tax in
addition TO license tax. The next tax
alton requiring notice is in section
1911, where will be found provision
for taxing the dog-and killing him
il he won't be taxed. Thus the facil-
tiles for taxation multiply. Thus do
we see the reasons why the "big six"
with their retinue Of tax-grabbers are
so strenuously advocating the new
charter.
The old charter is an Independent
one and will hot admit of wholesale
taxation, and will nOt permit to force
abutting property to build streets for
the benefit of the general public. But
you ask. with the five articles upon
taxation by the new charter, are you
not done, and have you not called our
attention to all the taxation in the So
called new charter? To which I re-
spond, no! there are several systems
of taxation yet untouched which I
propose introducing before finally
closing. 1t is highly probable that
ere these articles close, the people viii
become convinced that the main, the
predominant feature of the new
charter is taxation multiplied by tax
alton with destruction as the q~uotient.
GLADIATOR.