The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-01-09

syndlcates OF office seekers are formed.
corrupt combinations are made, delegates
are bought and sold, promises OF positions
to unworthy men are often OF necessity
made, and the example is set before us
that those who IN the ordinary wallis OF
life pass for honorable men enter upon the
duties or public office under a cloud OF
suspicion and shame. The convention has
become the medium OF trickery, bribery
and fraud. The higher crminal Is here de-
velopcd. Tho direct vote OF the ballot
holder for party candidates is the simplest
means OF expressing preference for repre-
sentatives. III the people make mistakes
they alone are TO blame. The direct vote
and the Australian ballot system Is OF less
cost TO the people than the convention sys-
tom. IL Is remarkable that so great has
been tho power OF the few and ambitious
that I'm. nation having representative
form OF government and composed of :,
TO put party candidates In nomination,
while every Canadian province has the di-
rect vote. and for that reason Is so much
nearer the ideal republic.
Taxation.
The question which Is always present and
IL never solved I'm any state or municipal
government Is the question OF taxation,
which must be borne. The theory OF the re-
publican form OF government IS that they
are borne equally BY all owners OF property
in proportion 10 their wealth. III this principle
does not prevail the government has favor
ties. and therefore IL is not republican.
All exemptions and variations from this
of public policy and for the greatest good
of the greatest number. The cost OF gov
eminent OF tho state should be lesSened
by the reduction OF tine charges OF DEPART
ments and OF state Institutions, proper
toned TO proper maintenance and admin
istration, and TO the reduced cost OF liv-
Ing incident TO the general decline OF val
ues. / also recommend, In order to the
proper distribution OF the public burdens,
that all forms OF wealth bear their just
proportion OF taxation. The policy OF con-
tinuing the system Of specific taxation OF
corporations as the sole resource OF the
state from such organizations which origin
ated when the state was new and which
favored the promoters OF needed works
for small and scattered communities has
long been regarded with disfavor by the
people OF this state, who contend that
the time has arrived when the well-known
inequalities OF taxation should be adjusted
and proportional according TO values.
There Is nothing new or novel In this
occasion I'm his address TO the senate and
house OF representatives 10 emphasize the
inequalities OF specific taxation OF cor
porate property, which he commended should
tie taxed locally according TO It's value
like other property. In the same year
Gov: Croswell recommended improved
methods for uniformity in lcvying taxes.
In 1887 Gov. Luce recommended the equal
ization of taxation and I'm 1891 recommend
cd, for purposes OF revenue, tax on be- |
quests. on corporations and an income tax. |
In 1891 Gov Wlnans recommended equaliz-
Ing taxation as between classes OF property
assessment, claiming that the assessed |
property paws double the tax paid by prop |
erty upon which specinc taxes are levied; |
property and doubted the policy OF ex- |
empting any property from equal taxa
n win thus be seen that the contention |
OF the people against tho system or solely |
specific taxation OF corporations found ex. |
the governors OF the state regardless OF |
party and as early as the seventies, and |
Of oxlp n n
as other property is taxed. The question,
therefore, Is one no longer for debate but |
under consideration for 20 years. While /
do not believe that the system or spe-
ci1c taxation and the method OF its us
should be disturbed, 1 recommend that
steps be taken IN the form Of , local bss or
their proper share OF taxation
Fixing Railroad Tolls.
THE right OF the legislature 70 fix tho
maximum rate for passenger fares mas
been exercised ever since me nSs! sfne ,esa
the people OF the state amended the consti-
tuition, expressly comforting upon the leg
isiaturo the power TO NIX such maximum
'The legislature may from time to time
pass laws establishing reasonable rates or
charges for the transportation OF pas3en-
gers and freight on different railroads In
the state" ARTICLE 19-A, Paragraph l.
railroad laws and certain rates were fixed
Amendments were made changing rates at
various periods up TO the final amendment
IN 1891. and generally speaking there has
been reduction OF rates by legislative
enactment
IL VIII thus be seen that any proposed re-
ductlon Of railroad passenger rates OF fare
or or freight charges has taprcctdchth III the
changes made from time TO time ln the past
history OF these corporations. The right
OF the lcrlslattirc 10 TX the maximum
rates has been contested by interested cof- Il
poratlons, and tho supreme court has held
fhnt tho legislature has the right 20 fix
such rates At the present time lncquali-
ties Of PASSENGER fares exist which should
be adjusted by the legislature. Thus, Tor
WAY II confined 20 n local paaeonNcr charge