The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-01-16

Syndicates Of office seekers are formed
corrupt combinations are made, delegates
are bought and sold, promises of positions
made, and the example is set before E us
that those who In the ordinary wallis OF
life pass for honorable men enter upon the
suspicion and shame The convention has
become the medium of trickery, bribery
and fraud. The higher criminal Is here de-
epe he direct y9es OF the ballet
:sentatives. II the people make mistakes
and the Australian ballot system is OF less
cost to the people than the convention sys-
TEN. 1t Is remarkable that so great has
been the power Of the few and ambitious
that In nation having q representative
form Of rnment and co posed Of
states, but two OF those states vote direct
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. 1885,.
The question which is always present and
Is never solved In any state or municipal
direct and indirect. Taxes are burdens
which must be borne. The theory of the re-
publican form Of government is that they
nre borne equally by all owners of property
in proportion to their wealth. If this principle
does not prevail the government has favor
ties. and therefore It is not republican.
fundamental principle should be upon lines
OF public policy and for the greatest good
OF the greatest number. The cost Of gov
by the reduction of the Charges of depart
ments and OF state institutions, proper
TONED to proper maintenance and admin
ing incident to the general decline Of val
ues. l also recommend, in order to the
proper distribution of the public burdens.
that all forms of wealth bear their lust
DT0DOTtl0n Tho NJ
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 proportioned according to values.
There Is nothing new or novel in this
recommendation. In 1877, Gov. Bagley took
occasion in his address to the senate and
house Of representatives to emphasize the
inequalities of specific taxation of cor
porate property, which he contended should
be taxed locally according to its value
ike other property. In the, same year
Gov. Croswell recommended improved
methods for uniformity In levying taxes.
In 1887 Gov. Luce recommended the equal
tzation of taxation and in 1891 recommend
ed, Tor purposes of revenue, a tax on be-
guests, on corporations and an income tax.
In 1891 Gov. Winans recommended equaliz-
Ing taxation as between classes of property
paying specific taxes and property under
assessment. claiming that the assessed
property pays double the tax paid by prop
erty upon which specific taxes are levied.
He Favored the local taxation of corporate
property and doubted the policy OF ex-
empting any property from equal taxa.
ton.
1t will thus be seen that the contention
OF the people against the system of solely
specific taxation of corporations found ex-
preston at the capitol through several of
@ R0veTnOra rau a naa no
party and as early as the seventies, and
that the recommendations were in favor
Q. taxing the property Of the sorporations
therefore, Is one no longer for debate but
for energetic action. since 1t has been
I do not believe that the system of speo
cinc taxation and the method of its dis
trfbution In support Of the common schools
steps be taken in the form OF local or
general taxation TO make corporations bear
their proper share Of taxation.
Fixing Railroad Tolls.
The right OF the legislature to fix tho
been exercised ever since the first general
enactment rs to railroads, in 1855. In 1870
the people OF the state amended the consti-
tuition, expressly comforting upon the leg
islature the power to fix such maximum
"The legislature may from time to time
pass laws establishing reasonable rates Of
gers and freight on different railroads in
the st tat article 1s-A, Paragraph ~
railroad mws and certain rates were fixed
Amendments were made changing rates at
various periods up 70 the final amendment
in 1891. and generally speaking there has
been reduction Of rates by legislative
enactment.
duction of railroad passenger rates of fare
or OF freight charges has its precedents in the
changes made from time to time In the past
history OF these corporations. The right
OF the Legislature to fix the maximum
rates has been contested by interested cor
porations. and the supreme court has held
that the legislature has the right to fix
such rates. At the present time ineQuali-
nee of passenger fares exist which should
be adjusted by the Legislature. Thus for
gay 70 confined to . local passenger chirge