The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-03-25
PROVO CITY. MARCH 25. 1895
A QUESTION OF REVENUE.

The Tribune On Sunday morning had
another labored and elongated ~ar-
ticle depicting in fervid and forcible
language the excess of expenditure in a
state government over that of a terri
torial form. The application is easily
made, but is no better understood
now than it was before the question of
statehood was hroached. A good many
of Utah's old settlers and those who
moved first and who were most intent
upon securing statehood had an idea,
and have it yet, that policies will be
adopted and such will be the increase
of values after statehood that there
will be left clear balance from this
source, better by far than the differ
ence between the cost of state over
territorial government. In the one
enterprise of mining alone there will
be added to the taxable values of Utah
this coming year many millions, per-
haps enough to supply the excess
needed, in and Of itself. During this
last fall and winter there has been a
general and satisfactory advance all
along the lines, which is not as yet OBJ
servable, but which will show up early
in the summer, or as soon as the roads
are in condition that the mineral pro-
ducts can be shipped to market. This
improvement is observable not only
in Tintic and Park City, but all over
the terrItory-especia In the south
and southwestern districts. In Tintic
alone there will be several large
shippers added to the list.
This, understand, does not stop at
the mines and their products, but the
increased demands, increased values
all over. Newer and larger towns and
cities, larger and better houses, larger
stocks of goods, larger acreages of farm
lands planted and operated. In fact
there is no getting to the end of it. Be
sides all this the simple fact that at
last Utah has a government of her own
by her own people and upon her own
terms will indicate to the world that at
last stability and quiet, as well as Sc
curity and prosperity are hers upon a
permanent basis, and thousands upon
thousands who have been waiting for
xgZlja auspicious moment viii come in to
DuIld the contemplated permanent
homes which have been their dreams
for years past. The plan of taxation
in any country and under any circum-
stances is difficult and embarrassing.
1t will be no more difficult in Utah
than in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming;
not SO much SO, in fact, because here
we have larger area of cultivated
land, and far larger area of tillab!e
and irrigable land, possible than any of
the states we have named. If the plan
decided upon is fair and includes all,
if there are no exemptions, no petted
or favored classes, but fair and rigid
assessment and an honest collection is
made, there will be no lack OF means,
even the first year. A graduated in
come tax would be all right but it
would not be resorted to simply that
small farmers, or farmers with small
incomes might be relieved of taxation
altogether. All the poor ask is a fair
deal, the taxation of the rich but
especially rich corporations, shall be
the same that they themselves pay.
That is good enough and if it is hon.
estly enforced the revenues will be
ample for all honest purposes and no
others will be contemplated.
We are not much in favor of special
taxes, save in the case of tabacco and
liquors. These cannot be too high.
Indeed, this is our remedy for the in
temperate use of these costly and dan
gerous luXuries. In the main the sug-
gestions made by the Tribune Sunday
are sound, and it we could divest oul-
self Of the impression that they are
now brought out as sort Of bugaboo
adjunct to the Tribunes's known hos
tility to statehood, we should say they
were wise, timely and thoughtful We
are at the exact point now where we
can cast about for the means to run
the state government of the future,
with propriety. But let US haYe no
scare, and no fears as to the rapid and
satisfactory improvement which is to
come to US with statehood, honestly
and fairly administered.