Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-03-09
The Sinner and Publican.

IL IL sdtu LudJ bn6T6 bIe TWO tninkb III tnl
| world the certainty Of which no one car
alton and death. Of the two evils--if they
may be so called-taxation hslds the frs
place. Most of humanity have little con
Germ as to death, but taxation is ghost tina
will not down in mortal minds. II is as Ole
as the world itself, and has perhaps caused
more trouble than anything else, unless, in
deed, the forbidden fruit may be excepted
But in the earliest history of the world we
can find ne instances of rebellion against
just or unjust taxation; all seem to- have
borne their burdens of taxation without
grumbling, Think of the tax which Laban
laic upon the patient Jacob. When he found
that he had paid tax Of seven years Of
hard labor for the wrong girl, what did he
do? Go TO the legislature and get REIN.
bursed? Not he; he knew the law was
against him, and that his uncle as inexor-
able, so he submitted without grumbling.-
He had fooled away seven years of hard
labor through an ignorance tn at he could
have set aside in five minutes If his mind
had not been closed to everything but Ra-
che. 1t was heavy tax on his young man
hood, but he concluded that as he would
probably have to labor seven times seven
years for the girl after he got her, he might
Just as we'll put in seven years OF work be-
fore marriage, for the sake of getting his
hand in.
Many centuries after that Cesar COM
manded that all the world should be taxed,
and then began grumbling and lying
Ananias and his wife lied about their prop
erty and were struck dead. At this day
lying about ones property is so common
that Justice" winks it. Lying verify bears
a premium. Men 60 the legislature and
make "listing" laws which encourage lying.
They go to Congress and pass Dependent
Pension Bills, which not only encourage
lying but substitute Incidence They pass
bills with one vote to pay claims amounting
to three times as much as the service rem
dered the Government is worth, and that is
a veritable bounty to the liar.
In our country the tariff, but another name
for taxation, has been about the bitterest
pill that our people have been compelled to
swallow. There is no telling how unset.
Ting this legislative pill has been to the ma.
tional stomach. Being ostensibly admin.
istered for the ease of the patient, 1t has in
truth produced more political commissions
and financial grips than all the other doses
that have been prescribed by the American
Congress. 1t was tariff that caused the
young colonies to cut loose from the paw OF
the British lion. 1t was tariff that caused
little South Carolina to make move for
home rule and TO set up ia business on her
own account, 1t was tariff that caus ed
the moonshners of Pennsylvania to revolt
against the strong arm Of the Government,
and it was the tariff that struck down many
of our most worthy aspirants for favor and
position and raised to political life and in
tluence many who were utterly unworthy
and inefficient.
Nor are the tariffic upheavas confined to
the general government; they are at least
as violent in our own little State, and more
frequent Our Legislators have been 80 long
compromising the bitter draught of taxa
ton, that they seem 70 have become fond of
it, and consumed all the materials used in
its composition, and thus the defenceess tax
payer has thus far escaped the nauseous pre-
scription. In ancient periods the publican
seems to have been an object OIL special
hatred, but in our political affairs il Is not
hard to decide between the law making sin.
ner and the publican assessor, or the less.
beloved collector. Ii taxation is burden
some, the cause thereof should be laid at the
feet Of the erring legislator, and not to the
inoffensiye assessor, nor the less.guilty COL
lector. OF the two latter, one is out for
good time, the property in which he is most
interested being the hospitable granger's
chickens, and the other plies his ayocati0n
for the money he makes out OF it, He works
for that which is more satisfying TO his d.
gestives than even the fatted hen-money !;
and when on his rounds for its acquisition
he cares as little for the odium of the tax
payer as he does tor the savory odor from
his bakery.
AS for the legislative sinner-so desig-
mated to distinguish him from the publican
tax gatherer-his mission is the acquisition
of glory, and he knows full well that the
easiest way to retain glory when once &C.
quired is to do nothing. OF course be deems
himself much wiser and more glorious
person than Cesar, for Caesar taxed the
whole world; but our modern legislator
does not tax the rich, for the reason that it
would prove an insurmountable obstacle 10
his road to glory. Cesar seems to have
pursued u different course In the acquisition
OF glory to the law. makers of our day. He
taxed all, and usually the more a man
owned the more, preportienately, the tribute
he demanded He seemed TO be more nervy
than our legislators but with all his nerve
he fell beneath the blow of the assassin, as
many, many great men OF this day fall I'm.
dor the tongue of the fault. finder. As he
taxed all the world, am sure he taxed all
kinds of private securities, unless they were
so private that they could not be found
Aud now, Mr.. Editor, TO make q long
story short, let us have no assessment that
will not increase the taxable basis, and put
more property on the assessment rolls. Let
us not have an assessment that will not
increase the income Of the State sufficiently
to pay the cost of the assessment Why is
the Hayes bill more desirable now than IL
was two years ago? Under the fifteenth
article of the Declaration Of Rights to eur
Constitution every one should contribute
his proportion Of taxes for the support of
the Government" and If this cannot be ex.
acted, why, then strike that article from the
Constitution, for it is disgrace to have 1t
there under our present system OF taxation.
The equalization of the burdens of taxation
weuld not drive capital out of the State, but
tend greatly to bring 1t in. II would en-.
courage worthy and Independent farmers to
make their home with US. II would he q
long stride toward the permanent prosperity
OF our farmers, and with better times for the
farmer will surely come increased prosperity
for the whole country. II was the dwindling
profits OF farming which was the chief cause
of our present financial distress, and IL will
he the increased profits Of the farm, under
just laws and wise rulers, that will restore
confidence to our people and start our coun.
try upon new era of prosperity.
Comus, March 2, 1894. Y.