Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-03-30

many as three worthy gentlemen
have rendered their services to ac-
cept that important trust, and |
have heard OF so me others who are
willing to do the same. So the
people if they desire it, will have a
goodly number to make a selection
from. think some legislation is
necessary at the present time, and
particularly so in regard to our rev
enue laws; they ought to be made
so plain that the most ordinary in
tcllect could understand them; SO
| plain that the co unity courts of the
country would be able to levy a
tax the legality Of which could not
be disputed, and so that the burdens
Of taxation would bear as nearly
equal upon all persons and classes
as practicable. The great and pri-
mary object Of government is pro-
lection; protection TO life, liberty,
person, property and character, pro-
lection to all persons, classes and
interests, but not protection to II
few favored interests andclasse6S at
the expense of the balance of the
great body Of the people. | will
next state that we can not have
government without taxes; that
government and takes are inseper-
able, and that the primary and It.
ultimate object of all taxation is to
raise revenue for the support of the
government, and not to build up
particular interests or classes, or to
make millionaire, and should be
levied in such way as to cause the
burdens Of taxation to bear as near
equally upon all persons, interests
and classes as practicable. a CON
siderable portion OF the revenue
raised for the support Of the Fed
cral, or general government is raised
by duty levied on imports, but the
revenue tor the support Of state
government is raised by direct tax
alton IN polls, property and priv
ilcgcs; and since the state govern
ment is supported by revenue
raised by direct taxation. ! think
capital in whatever shape it may
be, and in whatever way used
should bear its fair proportion OF
the burdens of taxation, and that
occupations taxed as privileges
ought not to be taxed out Of rXis-
tcnce, nor unrcasonably taxed
Polls also should also bear their
fair proportion of the burdens Of
taxation; property holders have to
pay poll tax as w,Il as those
having no property; and esp, cially
so when ali of the poll tax is APP
propriated to the use Of public
schools for the education Of all che
children of the county where every
parent or guardian of children have
a right to send their children to
such schools. And now while on
the subject Of pablo schools, will
say that our public school sy stem is
but little better than a county sys-
tenn. 1t is true that the Legislature
has levied Il public school tax Of %
cents on each $4,000 worth of tax
able property,but the counties only
get what is paid in by such counties,
with thecxception of their prorata
share of the interest on the pcrpet-
ual public school fund, amounting
to some 20 or % cents TO each child
of scholastic age; that with what
each county pays itself is the bene-
fit each county in the state gets,
The professcd friends Of education
and public schools take the position
that the wealth of the state ought
to educate the poor children of the
state, which is correct, if we have
public schools at all, and which I
think we should have. And il
the position that the wealth of the
state ought to educate the poor