Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-10-13
The Farmer and Labor Vote.

/ Inc FARMER and Labor Vote.
Had Colonel Roosevelt not beer
nominated for governor of his state il
is not at all likely that lodging his
taxes would ever have been mentioned
But when he offered himself to his
party for the highest Office in the state
| very naturally the business and social
| habits of the man were looked into
1t was found that he was tax. dodger,
and rightly enough the most is being
made of it to defeat him at the polls.
The newspapers outside of New York,
as well as those in the state, have given
so much publicity to his tax-dodging
proclivities that the farmers and small
home-owners in all the states are
aroused to the necessity of finding out,
if possible, to what extent tax-dodging
by the rich is being practiced in their
own community. Mr.. Roosevelt start
ed ball to rolling that will crush
many a tax-dodger who aspfres to a
position of public trust and RESPONSE
bility.
Colonel Roosevelt inadvertently
awakened those who feel it to be their
duty to the state, which protects their
persons and property, to honestly and
faithfully pay their taxes, to a realiza-
tion of the fact that the burden of sup
porting the commonwealth falls upon
those who have the least wherewith to
pay. The farmers land and his stock
and other personal property are be-
fore the assessor all the time He
could not conceal them if he would,
and he would not if he could, no more
than would any honest man. His
wealth is in his farm and in his person
al property. He can not hide them in
the darkness of safe deposit vault, as
do those who have bonds and gold and
silverware. He must pay his full share
upon every article he possesses. The
same is true of the wage-earner who
has accumulated house belongings, and
perhaps owns his own little home.
Thanks to Colonel Roosevelt for open
ing the eyes of the real bearers of the
tax burden that they may see scores of
Roosevelts about them who evade the
tax assessor by carrying their movea-
bles out of his path until he passes by.
Tax-dodging seems to be claimed by
rich republicans as a special privilege
granted to them in consideration of
their worth to their party. They are
not the couItry's real wealth makers,
but by legislation of their own enact
ing they are enabled to gather most of
it to themselves, and still be exempt
from contributing their share toward
supporting the government that so
faYors them and protects that which
they have unfairly accumulated. The
prominence of Colonel Roosevelt and
the practical Endorsement of tax-dodg-
by the country's favorites, which his
nomination signifies, is arousing feel
ing of indignation among farmers and
small property owners against the re-
publican party which will express it.
self very forcibly at the ensuing cleo
tion. Feeling that their hold upon the
machinery of government, which they
make oppress the people, is secure. the
leaders of the republican party do not
hesitate to tell the people that the
Roosevelts of the country my cheat the
tax gatherer with impunity; that they
being prominent in the party's coun-
ellis, privileges must be granted them
which the common people have no
right to expect for themselves. II the
farmers and small property owners do
not resent this insult 10 their manhood
and sense of right and justice they are
unworthy of owning property. But
they will resent it. Already they are
up in arms against such gross and ex-
pensiye discrimination against them in
favor of the tax-dodging Roosevelts, |
and they can be relied upon to right
these great wrongs against themselves |
and their country.-K. C. Times.