The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-09-14

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tory. No one did more distinguished
service in the building of it than Horace
Greedy, yet when that great man was de-
luded into casting his lot with its ene-
mics, the Republican party lived on and
Horace Greely died of a broken heart
No Pennsylvania was more highly and
deservedly honored in his party than our
great war Governor, Andrew G. Curtin,
but when he raised his voice in opposi-
tion to it his great public career closed
and the party continued to add victory to
victory and strength to strength. The
Republican party survived eight years of
Cleveland and eight years of Pattison.
have no doubt it will survive even Mr..
Wanamaker's secession with unbroken
heart and vigor unimpaired."
Mr.. Wanamaker's attitude is sure to
place him in the same position. Mr.. FL
kin continues:
"One of the complaints made by Mr..
Wanamaker is that the taxpayers of the
State are overburdened by reason of the
expenses of the State administration and
the cost of supporting our penal, elee-
mosynary and charitable institutions,
This charge is in keeping with others
made by him. 1t is lacking in every es-
sential element of truth. The fact is that
the great mass of taXpayeas of the State
do not contribute a tarthing in the shape
of State taxation. The State revenues are
raised mainly by the taxation of corpor-
ations, collateral and direct inheritances,
the license fees, fees of offices and bonus
es on charters. Real estate has not paid
State taxes since 1866. In passing judg-
ment on this questian it might not be
amiss to recall the fact that Mr.. Wana-
maker pays less tax in proportion to the
amount of money Invested and the vol
ume of business transacted than any 9TH
er citizen within the confines of this
broad Commonwealth. Our taxpayers
may not know, but 1t is currently report
ed and generally believed that he trans
acts business each year Of from Sl2, 900,
900 to Sl5, 900 900 that he has invested in
the goods, wares and merchandise in
which he traffics from So, ,000 900 to s., ,000,-
600. On the great volume of business
transacted by him and on the large in
vestment he has in merchandise, he only
pays to the support of the State govern
ment the mere pittance of $1,000 annual
| ly. On these goods, wares and merchan-
disc he pays no municipal, local or State
tax except the ST. 900 above mentioned. 1t
is true he pays local taxes upon his real
estate, but that is entirely outside OF the
investment in his business proper. If
Mr.. Wanamaker had the s., 1000, 600 which
he is now supposed to have invested in
his stores, invested in farms and other
real estate, he would pay annually from
$4,000 to Sl25,000 in taxes more than he
does at present.
"Mr. Wanamaker also complains about
corporate influences in political affairs
and attempts to array the people against
the corporations because their rights and
privileges are oppressive. He forgets
that the corporations under Republican
laws are made to bear nearly all the bur-
dens of State taxation and make large
contributions to the relief of local taxa
ton through appropriations made to the
common schools and other like purposes.
"Uuner the financial system which has
been inaugurated and built up during
the last twenty years, and for which the
Republican party is responsible, 66 ofthe
81 counties in the state receive more
money from the State than is paid in by
them. 1t has been the policy of the Re-
publican party to provide a system oi
State taxation that places the burdens Of
the State upon the corporations and other
wealthy and favored institutions. In
this way fund is raised that is distrib-
uted TO the COMMITTEES in the shape of ap.
preparations to the common schools and
in payments of the salaries of judges
county superintendents, and for Other
like purposes.
SIT will be demonstrated to the people
of Pennsylvania and of the United States
during the present campaign that our
State during the last quarter of century
has been the most happily governed
State in the Union; that her advance in
wealth, population and general prosper
ity has been phenomenal. During that
time the State has never lost dollar by
reason Of the default or dishonesty of any
of her State officials. Such, indeed, seems
to have been the opinion of Mr.. Wana.
maker himself until very recently, for il
is only within the last year that he has
intimated anything to the contrary. OF
course, we have been subjected to the
criticism which is inseparable from the
conduct of public affairs whose control is
disputed by enemies of the party and
persons having disappointed ambitions,
When an army breaks camp to march to
battle yultures gather over tne camp
fires, and there is always some belated
dog to bark at every triumphal process
ion.
"The stIictures made by Mr.. Wana-
maker on the last election of a United
States Senator, it seems to me, come with
bad grace from defeated candidate, and
explain the sour feeling eminatlng from
that sourse ever since. was not person
ally familiar with the details of that cam
paign. but from reliable information in
my possession, am surprised that Mr..
Wanamaker should make use of the fol-
lowing language: The whole business
Of electing United States Senator was
an arithmetical problem and a check
| book, Mr.. Manamakeris manaoers nm