The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-18
CIVIC HONESTY.

acted as broker for West Point cadet
ship. or government clerkship, or accepted
ga cali" on Pacific Mail before he voted
the subsidy, or received dividend on
Credit Mobllier stock standing in his name
without ever costing him cent, we might
suppose the dear American people were
deal more sensitive and high-toned than
their political servants on all questions OF
public honor and integrity. The 'honest
masses" of the people is always the pet
phrase of unctuous fiattery that demo-
gogues pour into the ears of an audience
that is always willing to listen gratefully
to a fellow who lifts them from
self-esteem to the higher latitude OF
self-righteousness. 1t is SO much
easier and more economical to make
man "feel good" than to make him do
good, that nobody rises with so little effort
to influence among the dear people as the
spouter who is always ready to apotheo-
size their virtue while he laments the
total depravity of their public servants.
The bubble of false philanthropy is
pricked by the proverb that charity be-
deride politicians as the distinctively dis
honest class would do we'll to remember
that the boosted integrity of the masses,
tested at their own doors, will har dly
serve to rebuke the so-called ''rotten"
politicians. The dear people constantly
mistake mood Of moral catarrh for vir-
tue and good works, and the tears, the
rheum, the rage, the swelling bravery Of
their rectitude is about as insubstantial
and insincere as the clap-trap of jury
lawyer or the hysterical didactics of
mounting actor. To be sure, the people
play the part of assuming virtue they do
not feel without being altogether con-
scious of it, but oil actors are in danger Of
losing themselves in their part, and so it
is no proof that the people are better than
their servants, the politicians, because
they have mistaken the praise of virtue
for the practice of it. To illustrate, the
people everywhere East and West, howl
perennially for equal and honest taxation;
and yet the people everywhere, East and
West, cheat the state most grossly in the
matter of public taxes. Why? Because
there is an open opportunity. The oppor-
tunity and the IMMUNITY is the temptation
of the politician or public servant that
betrays his trust; he is a true child of the
average public sentiment that will cheat
state or corporation by evasion or down.
right lying, if there Is small chance of ex-
posture and no chance of punishment. The
opportunity for injustice in the mat
ter of taxes exists largely by reason
of the offset allowed against per-
sonal property, and the evasions and
undervaluations connected Herewith. and
the differentiation of real estate. What
is meant by evasions and undervaluations
of personal property hardly needs any
explanation, as every town tax return
includes a certain proportion of harrow
ing cases of extraordinary, unsupported
poverty or sudden Indebtedness. There
is much ability frequently shown in max
ing untaxable offsets swallow all taxable
assets, and yet the unfortunate debtor on
paper. to the naked eye both looks and
acts like an opulent person. In Mime
sofa and in several other states there are
no offsets allowed for debts, so that there
is no service in creating a straw debt to
valuations, ETC., ETC., in personal property,
perpetrated or permitted by assessors, of
course, put an undue share of taxes on
real estate and the polls. The lodges are
many and various which technically evade
the law, although in spirit and intent the
methods are moral fraud.
The practical result is that few heroic
ally honest taxpayers, largely honest cler-
gymen and upright women with small in
comes, religiously report every dollar to the
assessor, while the vast majority do moth
ing of the sort, and so few absolutely hon
est persons are gradually taxed into state
of ultimate poverty, because the majority
habitualiy report seldom more than half
their taxable personal property, and very
often do not report it at all. 1t is not fair to
blame the assessors, for you cannot expect
the average assessor to be better than the
mass of public opinion at his back. Legis-
latures always pass empty enactments on
the subject, but the difficulty is the people
are low-toned on this subject. Evading
awful to them done at Washington. but it
looks very different done by the crowd at
their very doors, and so we go about howl
ing for moral reform and public and pri-
waite honesty everywhere except where
true integrity. like true charity, begins
at home. In some states the Off
GERS are obliged to make every tax
payer swear to his return, not
simply permitted at their discretion to call
up man here and there and swear him.
The tax books are open to public inspec-
ton; nay, public inspection of them is
courted. With these reforms of allowing
no offsets, of making every man swear to
his return and putting the tax books be-
fore the criticism of the public eye by pub
fishing the lists in the newspapers, much
good might be wrought, but until the dear
people stop cheating the state out of the
taxes by evasion or falsehood, they would
do we'll to foam less frequently. at the
mouth with flow of epileptic virtue con.
corning the principles of the fathers OF the
republic-"honest men. honest measures"
No wonder that our tax-cheating peonIs
should in so many places welcome dis
honest money in shape of debassd
dollar.
The pope has wisely conceded all that
the French government has claimed. that
the bishops and clergy of the church are
subject TO the state to well-defined ex-