St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-20
EQUAL TAXATION.

EQUAL TAX ALTON.
To the Editor of the Globe.
The combined debt of the world Is es-
timated to be one hundred and fifty thou
sand million dollars, of1which amount
The United States contributes the mod
est little sum of fifteen thousand MILL
tons, over eleven thousand millions be-
ing railroad indebtedness, on which the
people paid in 1891 rate of interest
acknowledged to have been not less
than 9.01 per cent, those on the inside
alone knowing how much greater the
true amount may have been.
A situation which, when viewed IN
the light of the fact that only one line
of railway in the United States is
owned and controlled exclusively by
American capital. presents to reflect
ing mind an insight into that quiet,
steady pumping process by which TOR
eign security holders annually drain
America of large amounts of gold.
Think of IT. SiXty-tive million people
annually paying high rate of interest
on an enormous sum, amounting 10
nearly one-tenth of the combined debt
of the world. in addition to the burdens
of individual indebtedness and taxation
pal expenditures; and then view with
calm, serene CompoSure that rampant
spirit of paternallsm which demands
government ownership of railroads,
etc. That is to say, seeking to cure an
existing evil by increasing the burden
of taxation.
1t was an article of political faith
among those homely. fossilized relics of
a pre- historic Democratic age that leglS-
lation should be for the greatest good of
the greatest number, and not for the
sole benefit of the few at the cost OF the
many. But then that was before rail-
road legislatures came into existence.
and lack of wealth did not constitute
bar to senatorial preferment.
For more than thirty years the Re
publican party has been i'll control OF
legislation in Minnesota. An eXamlna-
ton of the laws it has enacted to COM
pei railroad col operations to pay their
just proportion of the public taxes can
not be discovered on the clOuded statute
books, even with the aid of the most
powerful microscope.
The highest judicial tribunal in the
land has affirmed the power OF the state
to control and exercise supervision over
railroad corporations within the JurlS-
diction of the state. Heretofore that
contIo and supervision has been dele
gated to choice and select coterie OF
very amiable old gentlemen whose po-
liticai scars have singled them out as
worthy to bask in the sunlight of guber-
material recognition. A strong Repub-
lican mixture, with a slight Democratic
flavor. A double back-action rubber
bumper, as it were, with the railroad
corporations on one side and the dear
deluded, clamoring people on the other.
A combination forcibly suggestive OF
the quack doctors pills: ''lf they don't
do you any good, my friend, you can bet
your last dollar they won't do me any
harm"
1t would seem to be the plain duty of
the present legislature not to waste the
money of the people in the erection OF
grain warehouses and buncomb lnyeStl-
cations of alleged evils which nineteen
tWentieths of the people believe to
exist, and which, in the light of past eX-
perience,i it is fair to presume will result
in no relief from those evils, but to
enact law enabling the people to Sc
lect through the ballot box commits
sioner from each congressional district,
and constitute the commissioners thus
elected board charged with the duty
of aScertaining tine present cash value
not primary cost of cOnstructlon-ot
each line of railway i'll the state, and
empowered TO establish maximum rates
for transportation of freight and pas
sengers sufficient to produce reason
able interest on such value, not exceed
ing per cent.
Ascertain the true cash valne in that
manner through public servants IN
whom the people can show their conf
dence by their ballots, and compel the
foreign security holder, by decreased
dividends, to bear his just proportion OF
taxation with the individual resident
taxpayer, and not evade his just share
of the public burdens through the
''gross earnings" farce.
Bah! Foreigners across the water
regulating and controlling, through
their hlgh-Salaried resident agents, the
business and political affairs OF the peo
pie of Minnesota. Swimming the rich
cream from the peoples toll and greas-
ing the wheels of government with a
forced put mathematical infant, whose
parents fail to recognize, in the trans
formation process, the leastresemblance
to the life-impartlng germ conllscated
under the guise OF transportation
charges, grading and dockage.
1t behooves business men to carefully
scan the unerring signs of the times.
The pendulum is swinging rapidly in
the direction of the speedy correction of
existing abuses of unjust and unequal
taxation. The pruning knife is in the
hands of the plain toiling people. Legal
bubbles, evasions and subterfuges have
spent their force.
At last, after many years. the Demo-
cratic party will be in control of the eX-
ecutive and legislative departments of
the general government, and the voice
of the plain people, raised against their
foreign oppressors, will be heard and
rellgiously obeyed. Not reaction, but
a reaffirmance of the eternal principle
of mans capacity for self-governmept.
PERCY B. SMITH.