The sun., 1891-06-22

Alliance Tax Reform.
A strong local application OF Alliance
principles is reported from Labette county
in southeastern Kansas. Tho County Com
mssioners OF Labette Alliance philosophers
all. have been studying the assessors books
In the light Of the Alliance system OF politi-
cal economy. and they have decided that
| the incidence Of taxation shall not In
eide upon the Hayseed any more. They
have directed that in tho townships horses
shall be assessed at an average OF $18
horse, mules at $lS mule, and other cattle
or critters at $3.50 head.
For the luxurious and Alllanoe-scorn-
Ing dwellers In the large towns, however,
the tax is heavier. Their mules and horses
must be assessed at $2s head, their cattle
Mt ss head. The valuation OF the goods Of
the town merchants has been raised twenty
five per cent. In other words, the town
owners Of mules, horses, cattle, and stocks
OF goods are to be fined from twenty-five to
seventy-flve per cent for not living In the
rural districts. The merchants are to be
punished for not belonging to the ruling
class. The farmers as o privileged caste,
are not to be made to contribute as much
proportionately to local expenses as persons
who have the misfortune not to be members
OF that caste. Tho urban mule must kick
under the load of taxation that is not laid
upon his country brethren.
The people In tho larger towns Of Labette
county are said to be full Of wrath against
the Alliance tax reformers, but the latter are
proceeding according to the Alliance plat
form, and the Alliance cannot refuse to sup
port them. The condensed milk OF Alliance
doctrine Is found In the great principle that
it Is the duty and the business Of the Govern
ment to give special pecuniary assistance to
the downtrodden farmer. The Government
must lend him money on his crops and store
them for him until he is pleased to SELL make
him loans on his land at a nominal rate Of
interest, and keep its printing presses at
Washington running day and night to sup
ply him with funds.
AS the Government is not asked to be
benevolent institution for men who do not
speed the plough, 1t Is evident that there
must be some especial merit in the Alliance
farmers that entities them to be treated as
the spoiled nephews Of Uncle SAMUEL; and
1t is natural that they should insist upon
their privileges. Ifit is their right to borrow
money moro cheaply than other men, 1t is
also their right to be taxed more lightly than
other men. Before the national Govern
ment becomes farmers asylum. the local
part In taking care Of the Alliance.
1t is the distinction Of the Labette County
Commissioners that they have not been con-
tent to wait until the United States recog-
nized the Alliance caste. With a profound
insight into the mysteries of finance and the
science Of taxation they have determined
that the people who live In towns shall help
pay the taxes Of the virtuous ruralist, and
that the Alliance millennium shall begin at
home The farmer Is superior to tho cit,
the field mule to the car mule. How can any
body murmur at being forced to contribute
to the support OF such a modest and altru-
istic band Of brethren as the Alliance? II
any cross enough does murmur. sympathy |
Is wasted on him. Why doesn't he join the |
Alliance and 80 cut down his tax bills |
Why doesn't he move out Of town? Large |
towns are corrupting. and the fine flower OF |
Alliance wisdom will not grow in them.
The Labette reformers have done we'll, but |
the Alliance theory OF taxation and farmers |
privilege has not been fully developed. A |
Of cranks, smaller and less |
famous, but not less wise than the Farmers
Alliance, the Wage Workers Political ALL |
ance Of the District OF Columbia. has brought |
before Congress number OF times the most |
and satisfying solution of the |
problem Of taxation that has been given to
The world. That solution is, in brief: Abol-
sh taxation How? BY abolishlng debt.
How abolish debt? By issuing 80 much
paper money redeemable in extract-oi-cu-
cumber sunshine that all debt will be
into credit. The shinplaster part
of the solution will be agreeable to the ALI
snce. but for the present all that the tax re-
'ormers OF that remarkable body need to
adapt from the Washington concern is this
modification Of tho project OF the latter:
Resolved, that the taxation Of farmers
should be and hereby Is abolished"
Tax reform must not be allowed to stand
till even after such progress as ls reported
rom southeastern Kansas.