The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-22

pay as great tax as the nou-producer7
il this equal taxation? No. The pro-
Queer adds 10 the wealth OF the country,
and by this confers general and PUBLIC
benefit. This Is an Indirect tax he must
nay ana ought to be glad 70 pay, y "
| not palpabie that to be equally taxed the
! non producer should pay the great per
| cent OF direct tax? Another point: Ger
! tain occupations OF non producers AFFORD IN
| themselves opportunities for doing good IN
| the world, while other occupations OF noh-
producers are mere middlemen necessary
/ to effect exchanges between producer ana
consumer. but affordlng no opportunity to
| those who follow them to do any good In
1.-The world. except they get outside OF their
occupations. For insiance The 0ccupa-
tions OF preacher, a teacher, a dootcd
and journalist, AFFORD IN themselves OPP
pcrtwnities to do great good Would 1t
| be equal taxation 10 require tneso TO pay
| for the public good the same tax per cent
es the lawyer, the broker. the merchant
and various other occupations that afford
| In themselves little or no opportunity to do
good? Is II not q correct principle to say
| that such occupations should pay larger
percentage OF direct taxes than the masses?
Insurance companies are cold-blco1ed nom
producers. To DO equally taxed, ought
Insurance companies pay as great per cent
direct tax as loan companies? Yet we
tax loan companies very little. Is 1t not
then a fact that the classes who ''gush"
about the great principle of "e1uol taxa
ton" have outsmarted tho masses into a
gross misapplcatlon OF the principles?
But this Is "A depression from State ex-
pcnscs to discussion OF the philosophy
OF taxation
| There are quite n number OF evidences
In our State governmental affairs that the
| people suffer themselves outsmarted. For
instance: Our constitution puts the gov
ernor's salary at $4,000 year. And 1t Is
| enough. Tho grange exercised great In
| iluence In framing that constitution. Bus
lcok how you've been o,rtsmarted by the
| office hunting classes. Ii is n good ten to
one bet that no governor OF Texas ever
| lnHio that much year in his private bus
mess before he was governor. There Is
| no authority In law to furnish the governor
house rent supplies. servants, or other
household expcnses. Yet this is done In
every appropriation bill. The State fur
niShes mansion. Together with the
buildings and grounds this property a
choice block OF ground. IS worth perhaps
| $4,000. At 9 per cent this would be $4,000
per year, Then tho repairs on the man
aion and grounds run frGn $1,000 to $4,000
| annually. They have appropriated about
| $4,000 TO this since the war. SO we can
safely charge up to the governors sal :
~ -. ""'>t Fi'"" w TePuirs per hnhuni
| OF residence. Then there Is generally APP
propriated 5000 for housekeeper, $3.50 for
| fuel and lights. $500 gardener and labor on
mansion grounds. water aud Ice 5000. AMI
$500 to $500 for other items. SO that peo-
pie are outsmarted into paying about $40 :
wv Tor the governors salary account in
| stead of $1,000 as the grangers made II IN
'ho const'p'ion. Why don't the grangers
| geo TINT II is stopped? Why they arc out.
smarted by tho 2xi fellows they send tc
| the legislature In every department al
| most arc those pickings but II Is In o,ll
asyl'ims, o'r charitable institutions, where
the extravaganza Is most notable. In
every one OF these II is safe to say tn,
superintrndent costs the State frou thre,
to I'VE times the amount contemplated b,
the constitution. The attention OF legis-
lators has been called to these abuses. bu,
their time Is perhaps too much absorbed
In discussions With the lobby to take heed
Now. don't understand me TO blame
heads OF DEPARTMENTS for this. Legisla-
lures are to blame. Rather the people are
to blame, II salaries are not sufficient they
should be Increased. But 1t is an outrage
upon the people that the constitution Is
anub 'iampied under foot so ruthless y.
iheh thero Is our railroad commission
| itere We pay out $40 to 100000 per an
| num- ihis mas been going ON Tor nearly
TX Years anu vet assert that up to date
| ~ uas peeh almost farce, Now why
should the people stand these abnorlaal
sa'aries TO raiiroaa commissioners. Wly
nav them more than we do our treasurer
somptrosSr, land commissioner, etc? Why
INV W. hot seen 10 IL mat In six years
| tne tiiIlo prVpieu would be 80 nearly
solved as 10 permit u general law pre-
sorlpInn MAXIMUM rates with only one
voi''nisSioner 10 Nuke emergency rates
anu nis sa."rN lhe tho heaus " o'her de-
w w. 'nl.nls SIMPLY because the naases are
wv. snl"I.uu' ihen why nave SO ntnS
a. o,ue.s' i,haheiai agent, whos'
W., 10 70 watrh DUCT oineers' the sam,
vn' M""iu can rpr somebody 10 wutct
WV. snu 50 w uo"n tne iist 10 'nfin'ty
pa,,,s "'.e s .unket ,o'~e' rele OF W j.
coo noo sosel ninen.al iueas. why PERM
s,v" y WI 'niuMh away ON n:H'ar.
,pn, nave an ad)u'an
e,a W., ,..'ont Ut al we uon
100 ". why naVe an asricuitural de
H. ', ns run " " oi niue unity
:, n'e'v , y, any use ~ would De 100 exran
s.e. WY ai ,n's anu fndcu npreY re
muse em '"e people are outsmarted, that
M,
but " 10 our judiciary department wher
| nxt t.uy. ,utN