The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-14

A vzSs opportunity is before Us. We
ara 70 prove oursslTes worthy IRE trust
Imposed ugg7 IS: re are = SHOW car
ability 70 construct rs@w pcsicse. IS well
as eesfrsy tire cd
The Ruifng Power.
K saossld and nus pc remembered THAI
law. 10 - respected and obeyea. must
fact. Just izw = frs: fSe product Of that
instructive Apprehension 81 justice En4cl
rEds 9salFerSSf i0sigraent II the heart 81
Ez4n- Il must primarily exist II tee
heart; zfseFwaE1. iSs being placed upon
the statute IS TIE mere formal ratification
o. what had previously existed. Lacking
trss essential REQUESTS, ezactrrsrfs q tae
legislative sgthority sill prove bit ten
civilized countries r. the power behind the
faron@. gTea t@T than the throne itself
And pubic opinion = TIRE Trodact q fhat
general ezerserssGs Of prevailing thought
witch mus. come. and does come. not
from the minds even Of the educated and
the well informed. bat rather from tns
general average Judgment OF society en-
5Eaciag al Glasses &nf conditions Of men;
and D@e&Ase Of the fact that In this gen
era average judgment al grades OF intel
iigeuee and al kinds OF people are IN
cladeG. the resulting product Is = truer
statement OF matters affecting ali the
people than could be the case were Only
. few or q certain class % minds con-
suited This is the true foundation OK
democratic government among men, and
with this understanding, The voice OK
Eas people - fne voice CT God But no
class. no part % soclety. however intelA-
gent or lnftu.uf1al - QEsiisled or able 70
speak with this authority. Il must needs
be q 1eclarat ton o. substantial unansmtty
coming from taar very large majority
which includes. practically, al the people.
This Is public opirion. the ruling power in
modern life. against which nothing can
conslnGe long 10 stand Supported oy this,
reform can 80 on. Deserted By II. u VIII
a. fhaar arlsf - f.zT
posed and here enacted, that - supported
- FniS general average Judgment OF So
etety. Is called Tor and will endure. What
ever - hot thus supported Is Gucalie1 for
and viii not endure. Let Us not deceive
oarss4 ves-the limit is set beyond which
We cannot safely 60. IL a reform or a
measure Is not thus supported by q nearly
UNANIMOUS opinion. or at least D. very
large majority, its time has not come and
must be deferred until by agitation and
education that unanimlty OF thought is
produced which viii then be able TO carry
IL successfully forward. Revolutions have
always had more TO fear from reaction
than from any and all things ease And
tais comes from the fact that adyentur-
QUE spirits have ia their zeal outstripped
panlic opinion, going beyond the ground
considered safe by the general average
judgment OF the society specially CEN
ceTnsd Advancing but step beyond
this, confidence Is lost. fear Is engendered
and retreat IN ruinous disorder is the in
eyitabie result.
revolution has just been effected. Let not
the zeaiot Sainly imagine that because OF
this revolution authority has been given
Tor the enactment into law OF all approved
ID hlnl. This Is only the thought OF the
enthusiast and the dreamer. II Is true
that the trumpet has sounded an ad-
vance. Dat that advance must be one
which Ne are able 10 make: for all are
concerned 81 the movement. The advance
must not be greater than that approved
~ that pubic opinion which comes from
the general average judgment OF AL the
people OF Washington. We so beyond this
a. the risk OF losing all the advantages
gained. or losing the confidence OF those
who, while with as In this fight only half
approved the plans OF those among US
most advanced. and the moral certainty
OF arousing fear In the minds OF the tirntd
and faint-hearte6 In our own ranks Bet
Ter thousand times 10 stop short OF an
exercise OF our whole power than to ex-
ceec II py so much as the fractional part
OF a grain.
The Revenue Laws.
Taxation has ever been an essential.
yet annoying, feature OF government. In
"a measure, the collssction of revenue in
wolves an exercise OF fierce repugnant TO
the independent spirit Of American char
acter. But the people quickly recognize
and appreciate the benefits aecruing from
cautious and just expenditure OF these
reFenues-an expenditure for the es!uca-
ton OF our youth. for the care OF the or
phan and the infirm. for the Improvement
DTOfFPTlOn
OF health and the preservation of social
order and for the proper regulation and
control or corporate bodies whose ayarica
leads them 10 disregard the interests Of
the individual and the state. Unequal
taxation, however, is a source OF constant
turmoil. no matter how wisely or fairly
such taxes may be expended. The rev
enGe laws now In the statutes are grossly
unequal In the operation. They throw the
burden Of government almost entirely anon
property holders OF moderate means
while wealthy corporations escape with
nominal contributions TO the public treas
uFy. The laxity Of the revenue laws in
other respects offers a premium for thu
non-payment OK taxes by persons and in
situtions who profit more largely by spec
uia1ing on the misfortunes OF others in
these times OF depression than thav
would gain by prompt settlement The
tressurers books In the larger counties
show that as a rule the faxes which re-
main unpaid are due from corporations
and men OF wealth who are able 10 paw
Many OF these delinquents are fighting
the law in the courts. and others seek no
evsde penalty and interest through q s.,e
cial law remitting them.
How 10 prevent these abuses fs n uues-
ton OF serious concern 10 all and should
receive your most thoughtful attention.
Some OF the older states in the UnIon
have perceived the Inequalities Of the
revenue system here employed In the
20 all alike Pennsylvania. New Jersey
and New York have recognized the prfnci-
pie thar corporations enjoy particular adj
Nantages sranted by the state, and in fus-
tice should make suitable return Penn
sylVania has advanced so far I'm this live
that about two-fhirds 81 It's annual rev.
enue Is raised by taxes on corporation
stock. limited partnerships. foreign insur
ance companies, Incomes collateral in
hefftances and liquor licenses In his re-
port for the fiscal year ending November
81, 1854 the auditor OF Pennsylvania gives
this summary Of the states receipts:
l. State lands sold. afas "a
:. Tax on corporation stock
and limited partnerships 3sss ga g
3 Tax on gross receipts OF
corporations and notarses
paole ..;,..,.... ,.-...:.-... 80. sos 81
animation OF banks. E3sfs4 -
D. Tax on net earnings on
income 70 banFs ...... - nss a
Foreign insurance conpa-
MES .-.-....- ..-........... 40. rs 80
{. Tax or gross premiums ssf5 IS
8. Tax on municipal ard cor
nofatton loans ....... - Ssi ssr &c
= Tax on personal property g sSs 20 %
10. Tax on Wills. etc ........ ffa SIS ga
II Tax on collateral Inherit