The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-08-09
Why do We Pay Taxes?

For many years past the writer has
studied to find some good reason why
we should pay taxes to the local or
state government but we candidly
admit that we have failed to find it.
The usual statement that, if gov
eminent is to be maintained, the ex-
penses of government must be paid
from taxes, is by no means salts
factory answer to the question.
This much we conede: that if there
were no other legitimate sources of
revenue available for the support of
the government, it would be necessa-
ry and right to levy taxes. But that
is the whole question. Is there the
slightest necessity or excuse for taxa
tion in this country?
Let us investigate little.
In the first place, as to our munich
pal governments. Have they re-
tanned and utilized all available sour
ces of revenue, before having re-
course to taxation?
Our public streets, made at the
public expense, besides being used
for thoroughfares, are more or less
taken up for street railway lines, tel
egraph and telephone wires, gas
pipes, electric light wires. and water
mains. OF all these the water mains
alone, in St. Paul, are owned ty the
city.
We think it will be conceded, with
out argument, that none of the fore
going pipes, tracks, or wires, could be
laid or strung on the streets without
the permission of the city authori-
ties. And we are confident that it
will also be admitted that the COM
bined revenues of these enterprises
greatly exceed the revenues of the
city.
Then why, we ask, were these sour
ces of revenue granted by the city to
private corporations for their private
profit instead of being retained by
the city? What right had the city to
part with these revenues and then
turn round and levy taxes to replace
the revenues which have been be-
slowed upon others?
1t is we'll known and beyond dispute
that an exclusive charter for city
railway or gas mains is fortune in
itself, and all the money required to
build up one of these enterprises can
be raised by issuing stock founded
upon the credit which such charter
secures.
Then why do not our cities retain
and utilize these great sources of in
come and so Obviate all necessity for
levying taxes?
AS to question of law and principle
(if it is possible to harmonic the
two), can city grant away it's reve-
nues without full compensation? Is
such grant valid and effectual? If
such is the case, what is to prevent a
city from going one step farther and
farming out, for merely nominal
consideration, the right to levy taxes,
and then adopt still some other
means, such as tolls, and the like, for
raising other revenues?
We claim most emphatically, that
the levying of taxes, where it has on
ly been made necessary because city
has parted with all it's natural sources
OF revenue, is neither more nor less
than legolized robbery, perpetrated for
the benefit of the teao at the expense
of the many who constitute the vast
majority of the population, and we
feel confident the time will come
when people will cease to submit
tamely to such imposition.
Many thrifty citizen has had his
home taxed right out from under
him, and the writer can name instan-
ces in which homes that represented
the earnings of lifetime have been
lost by reason of assessments for To-
cal Improvements, which could and
would have been paid many times
over, without assessing one cent
against the property, If the city had
not given charters granting away to
private corporations, revenues, far
greater than all the taxes and as
sessments have amounted to.
Is this just? Is it honest? Is it
common sense? 1t is conducting
our municipal governments on ordi-
nary business principles? If not;
how long will our people submit to
be robbed of their homes and their
earnings to enrich few corpora tions
with watered stock and almost I'M
limited issues of bonds, whose credit |
depends upon the very property
stolen from the toilers of the cities.
Have we got to point, here in these
United States, where we like to be
robbed and imposed upon, like the
poor Egyptian who says, of course
my master owneS me and every
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