The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-09-02
shiawassee Farmers Picnic.
[Continued from page IL


through corporations. be has no use for or
cOnfdeuce In him when that same man
goes before Legislative committee aud says
his road is IN the verge OF bankruptcy and
unaDle to pay taxes on its valuation, and
virtually requests that they be placed on
tho taimeis. In conclusion, to show the
untairness of the present system he quoted
from the F"rum OF May, 1897, to show that
bur one and seventy -seven hundredths per
cent OF the personal property OF number
of residents OF New York city whose cases
had been Investigated had been assessed.
A telegram received and read by Mr..
Bird at this juncture stated that the Gov
ernor was on his way and would be In on
the afternoon train. aud recess was taken
to await the train Before his arrival, how
ever, Prosecuting Attorney A. l.. Chandler
was called upon to keep the audience in
good humor. Zach" had been distributing
some circulars relative to the law about
noxious weeds and took the occasion to ex-
cite some curiosity in his "tracts," and to
all was just what the audience wanted at
this time, and at which 1t laughed heartily,
although what be said was not half so fun
ny as some of the statements made later by
ward.
The governor smiled one of his big round
smiles on the people below and in front of
him, and told them how glad he was that
them enjoying themselves. Then he told
them about the ability which this nation
has-for as he says 1t takes ability to lick
out a nation in about ninety days-and,
after referring to the gratifying showing
that, of Michigan's quota OF seven thou.
sand men, only fourteen could not read or
write, he settled down to rambling talk,
as he himself called it., in which he appar-
emily supposed he was talking in favor of
equal taxation or railway taxation or sOme-
thing of that sort-if that is what would
prevent a man of ability from amassing a
fortune in a single lie time, a thing he APP
parently greatly deplores, quite unconscious
apparently that If a man is going to do 1t at
| all it must be done In one life time. In
reality, however, much of his time seemed
| to be spent in gratifying his own inclina-
tions by venting his spleen against Senators
Mcmillan and Burrows, exGov. John T.
Rich, and State Senators Westcott and
Preston, and incidentally keeping people
| too busy guessing what he was going to
accuse somebody else of doing to give them
| time to ask any embarrassing questions
| about some of his own acts. Leaving out
| this personal abuse and determinations
! which he heaped on some of those who are
not accused of singing his praises in very
DEVOTED style, the governor voiced num-
Der of his beliefs, all of which contain q
greater or less degree of truth, but upon
none of which did he linger long before
again turning his attention to the senators,
"Sky" Olds, Harrison Geer, or the ex.
governor. Some of these other points were
trouble in this country. No country can be
| on a sound basis when millions can be
piled up by single man. l have no re-
spect for business man who does not
make money, but society is to blame for
the craze to become milionaires. A young
man cannot now start In business in the
large cities with as small amount Of capital
as he could years ago. Conventions should
be done away with and the votes which
elect should be cast right In the caucuses.
Going to conventions Is simply going to buy
and sell and jockey around, and Its wrong.
Vote direct. Senator Barnard was defeat.
ed at the caucuses In Grand Rapids recent
ly because he dared to refuse great bride
and voted for his railroad taxation bill. He
himself was an old soldier but couldn't
talk about his past experiences, but only
about what he Is trying to DO. In Ven
zuela the people are starved and robbed.
Rich people pay no taxes at all on their
property and -four and salt, the necessaries
Of life, are taxed so that the poor pay all
the taxes. In closing he answered some
questions about the Michigan troops and the
program ended with the usual three cheers
for the governor.