The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-09-01
Alien Tax Law Declared UncOnstitu-
tiOnal.

JuuRo ACutsuu, VI bu6 OultSu
States Circuit Court, has decided that
the alien tax law, enacted by the last
Legislature, imposing a tax of three
cents per day upon alien laborers
when employed iu the State is uncon.
stitutional because ii is in conflict
with the fourteenth amendment of the
fundamental law of the nation that
forbids any State from depriving any
person of life, liberty or property
without due process of law. Judge
Acheson is IA highly respected jurist
and bis opinion will carry great
weight, but we doubt whether the
Supreme Court of the United States
will affirm his decision.
The class Of aliens affected by the
alien tax law of this State pay no
taxes to townships, county or State
with rare exceptions. They are not
property owners, aud they are thus
entirely free from all forms of taxa.
tiOn. They enjoy the use of all roads
made 10y the taxes of the people, but
pay nothing to maintain them. They
enjoy the protection of the law that
shields their homes and their families
from wrong doing, without contribut.
ing one cent toward the support of
the authority necessary to maintain
social order and safety The courts
make no distinction between the
criminal who wrongs the alien and
the criminal who wrongs the citizen,
and yet the whole organization of the
government for the maintenance OF
law and order is supported almost en-.
tirely by the citizens as much for the
benefit Of the aliens as for themsel YES
To assume that this class shall be
entirely free from taxation aud vel
have all the benefits of our schools
our roads, our almshouses, our asy.
lums, our police, and our courts with
out contributing to their support, i:
to assume that the laws of this coun.
try must discriminate 10 favor of the
alien and against the citizen. In nc
other way than by direct tax upon
the earnings of alien laborers car
they be made to contribute to tn,
support of the government that pro
tects them in all the privileges of our
free institutions.
The alien tax law of Pennsylvania
SO far from discriminating against thu
alien laborers of the State, falls fal
short of compelling them to beal
their just share of the cost of tn,
protection they receive from the gov
ernmeut. They are not taxpayers
There may be here and there an ex
ceptiOn to the rule, but as a clas
they contribute nothing to the sup
port of the government, while tbel
contribute much to lawlessness auC
the enormous cost that lawlessnes
imposes upon the community.
Judge Acheson seems to assum,
that the law is unconstitutional be
cause it discriminates against par
ticular class of residents in the State
he overlOoks the fact that withou
such statute our laws largely auc
Oppressively discriminate against th
honest Americans, and in favor O
the alien aud temporary residents
Viewed from the standpoint of jus
tice and public order and safety, W
regard the alien tax law of Pennsyl
vania as in accord with the funda
mental law of both State and nation
aud certainly 10 accord with tha
equity that free government shoul
maintain for all classes and condi
tions who reside within the Common
wealth. - PhiLa. Times.
SPANS new Premier, il is said,
4 81