The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-11-03
NANAMAKER
ON TAXATION
Startling Figures Showing the In
equalities of Taxation Under
Quay Machine Rule.
rhe Farmer and Workingmen Compelled
to Pay $2.o4, While the Corpora
tions Pay But One Penny.

.oWinS " say upon tHe SUBJECT ol ldA-
alton:
1 have been waiting for an oppor-
tunity like this to say something more
to the farmers and laborng men OF
Pennsylvania about taxation.
In my Williams Grove address on
Sept. / | declared that the people, and
especially the farmers, were unjustly
taxed. l stated that through legisla-
ton passed by the Quay machine there
was unjust discrimination in favor
of corporations and that the masses
were forced to bear an unequal bur-
den of state taxation, and l want to
reiterate those statements again to-
night, and to present to you specific
proof of their correctness.
The statements that the farmers paid
too much tax have been challenged in
public speeches by the Republican can
lidate for governor and the Republican
state chairman
Nominee W. A. Stone, in his Pitts
burg speech on Sept Z, in the course of
mis- reply to assertions made by me,
said: There is not corporation in
Pennsylvania that ever for one moment
realized that it was the favorite of the
Republican party" (meaning the Quay
machine). Speaking of our tax system
he declalod: This is a great triumph
for the Republican party, and one of
which all Republicans should feel justly
proud" and, continuing, he said: 1T
seems to me that it would be much
easier to prove that farmers, laborers
md mechanics are the favorites of the
Republican party, who have been so
highly favored by its legislation"
II,1IiIn,.gI,,trfr TonIi-
date Stone is again quoted as saying
that THE people are not taxed, and
not one foot of your land (meaning
the people, pays one cent of tax; we
have taken the tax off the lands and
put it on corporations"
ELKIN QUOTED.
Republican Chairman Elllin. at Car
isle on Aug. 81, said: I'VE (meaning
the Quay machine) have taken taxes
off the lands. occupations, trades and
all personal property, except money at
interest" At Pittsburg on Sept. he
again declared that the purpose and
policy of the Republican party (mean-
ing the Quay machine) has been to re-
move the burden of taxation from the
people and place it upon those who
obtain some franchise from the state
and we (meaning the Quay machine)
have reason to feel proud of our rec
ord"
am facing an audience composed
largely of farmers. Before me are men
who gain their livelihood by the tilling
and handling of land. If there is one
among you all who does not know that
the statements of Candidate Stone and
Chairman Eliin are false let him stand
nd CO TInr ha
farmers here who on next election day
intend to vote to perpetuate the Quay
machine. To them l want to ask if
it is fact, as Candidate Stone assert
ed in his HoIlidaysburg speech, that
you are not taxed and that not one
foot of your land pays one cent of
taxes" and whether it is true, as Chair
man Elkin states, that the Quay ma
chine has taken the taxes off land?
If one single farmer in this audience
will come upon the platform and show
that his land is not taxed l will agree
to make six speeches a week for the
Quay machine from now until election
time, and if there is one farmer here
who owns or works n farm that can
not show by his tax receipts that all
these statements are untrue l will
stand by the same offer. And IL there
is one farmer who does not know that
he is unjusty taxed and is paying part
of the corporations share / want him
to send me his name and he will be
given proof of his happy ignorance.
The subject of taxation is a vast and
complex question, but there are phases
of it and facts concerning 1t that can
be reduced to simple, practical and con-
vincing propositions. And specifically
and with varied figures | want to pre-
sent some of them to you.
In this argument when / make use of
the word corporations" L mean those
of that class that have the right to con-
denim and take private property for
their own use, such as steam railroads
which pay no local taxes for county,
township, school or road purposes upon
their roadbcd and other property used
in the operation of their franchise. And
also other great combinations of cor
porate wealth, such as pools and trusts
and companies capitalized at millions,
all of which maintain armies of agents
and lobbyists to invade and surround
legislative bodies. whether national,
state or municipal.
Candidate Stone tells the farmers of
the state that the corporations pay the
entire cost of running the state gov
ernment, and also the appropriations
to public schools. This statement is
grossly untrue, as is shown in the last
official record of the state treasurer.
The total receipts of the state treas
ury for 1897 were $12, 75,07017. OF this
num- the entire amount received from
all sources, from all corporations, in
Guiding the thousands of smaller cor
porations which we are not considering,
together with the tax on bank stock
was only $6,0i4 1916, or about so per
cent of the cost of running the state
and paying the school appropriations.
This demonstrates Candidate Stones
misrepresentation No. l.
Candidate Stone says that corpora
lions are taxed higher IN Pennsylvania
than they are in other states. This
statement is untrue. For the purpose
of proving the falsity of Mr.. Stone 8
assertion I will compare the tax law
Of our state with that of New York.
TAXES IN NEW YORK.
In New York state every dollar of