The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-08

Syndicates of office seekers arc 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 of public office under a cloud of
suspicion and shame. The convention has
become the medium of trickery, bribery
and fraud. The higher criminal is here de-
veloped. The direct vote of the ballot
holder for party candidates is the simplest
means of expressing preference for repre-
sentatives. If 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-
tenn. 1t is remarkable that so great has
been the power of the few and ambitious
that in a nation having a representative
states but wo of those sees 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.
The question which is always present and
is never solved In any state or municipal
government is the question OF taxation,
%6ch must be borGe heory the
are borne equally BY ali owners of pro property
inproportion to their wealth. If this principle
does not prevail the government has favor
ties, and therefore 1t 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 the state should be lessened
by the reduction of the 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,
@ a Of aGat %ea The e9 potS Se
tinuing the system of specific taxation of
corporations as the sole resource Of the |
state from such organizati lions which origin |
ated when the state W.s new and which |
favored the promoters of needed works !
for small and scattered communities has |
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 ian his address to the senate and |
house of representatives to emphasize the |
inequalities of specific taxation of cor |
porate property, which he contended should |
IKE other property In the same year
Gov. Croswell recommended improved /
methods for uniformity in levying taxes.
In 1897 Gov. Luce recommended the equal
iEation of taxation and in 1891 recommend
ed, for purposes of revenue, a tax on be-
quests, Oh corporations and an income tax.
In 1891 Gov. WtnanS recommended equaliz- |
ing taxation Is between classes OF property |
paying specific taxes and property under |
aSScSSment,
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-
ton.
It 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
The governors of the state REGARDLESS Of
that the recommendations were in favor
Of taxing the property of the corpo rations
as osher pToPery No Is o aXe for S
for energetic action, since ID has been
under consideration for, 20 years. While
eific taxation and The method of its dis
tribution in support of the common schools
should be disturbed f TeS0m M loda mat at
general taxa ion to make corporations bear
shsir proper share OF taxation.
Fixing raiiroad Tolls.
The right of the Legislature to fix tho
Ssen exercised Ti eve since the first general
enactment as TO railroads, In 1850. In 1870 |
the people of the state amended the constr
tuition, expressly comforting upon the leg
stature the power to fix such maximum
rites.
pass laws establishing reasonable rates OF
charges for the transportation OF passen-
gers and freight on different railroads In
Che state" lArticle ia, 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 q reduction of rates by legislative
enactment.
II will thus be seen that any proposed re-
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.
ties of passenger fares exist which should
be adjusted by the legislature. Thus, for
example, the Chicago e. Grand Trunk rail-
way is confined to a local passenger charge