The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-05-13

the ali ms IOECcu tA>cu Auto BIS Aautr.
Into the mind Of every thinking
banker IN the west, mast come the
question, "Why can We DO, place the
bonds Of our home enterprises Al
home" 1t would be a revelation to
those who did not see them il they
could see the myriads OF bonded enter
prises advertised BY circulars sent to
bankers with the statement thsi these
are good investments for = banks re-
serves. Towns in Michigan or some
other state sell their bonds for local
enterprises, and banks in Missouri and
other states are asked TO buy them.
The bonds Of local Missouri enterprises
are offered in Michigan or some other
state. II we could sell TO individual
investors in Missouri, right in the
locality where the enterprise is under
taken, the bonds on which the money
Tor II is raised We would pay out the
interest $; home. This plan IS the
secret Of the ability Of France 10 carry
the enormous debt that she does, and
do il with little inconvenience. The
interest is paid out st home, il goes
into circulation, il stimulates new
enterprises, It becomes available as =
fund for borrowing to carry on bus
mess, and Keeps interest Al \ rate that
people can afford TO pay. How is 1t
with small places and towns, cities,
counties, far from the money centers
here9 alt Is so far from New York
is a phrase that means an average Of
over one per cent higher interest that
our enterprises must pay. heard a
smart young Yankee in the state Of
Washington gleefully telling that he
had secured = whole issue OF some
school district bonds that are
as sure 10 be paid as the bonds OF the
United States-and they bore Z per
cent interest. Had they been New
Jersey bonds they need not have borne
hall as much interest.
have for years wished and hoped
for some way to get IL soaked into ,hs
heads OF our people, that by 8 false
system of taxation, they are keeping
themselves IN financial slavery TO the
eastern bank ring. But, because | am
q banker, the average voter can not see
why | should advocate 4 system thai
~antagonizes the interests Of eastern
bankers. In fact . false system is moi
a system; there is moi anywhere in the
United States, what might be properly
called q system Of taxation. There are
various plans Of getting more money
out Of taxpayers than they ought t.
pay, and Of squsndering it through
the hands Of those, who through thu
party blindness Of the voters,are allow.
ed to do it. II a man had 4 spring
and paid taxes on its daily flow at 81
much per gallon, one would think iha
enough. Bot II besides that, he paiC
an additional tax on every bucketful
that he drew out, we would think !
wiser to put the whole tax on the dali.
flow. So the government taxes 8 bAnl
on its whole capital, and then again !
must pay q stamp tax on every portion
Of its capital as it lends IL out.
farmer pays a tax Of his place an
everything On it; then by using hi
implements on which be has paid
tar, upon his land upon which he hs
paid q tar, he gets 3 crop al the cos
Of lessened value Of the land, wear O
the implements aud cost Of his labor
and on the crop thus produced he
taxed, although there lie nothing IN
on which he has not already pal
taxes except bis labor; so that the ia
OF 3 crop is q tax on him for working
, II is = license 10 make his living
Those in whose hands party blindnes
OF the voters leaves the legislation yea
after year, through uninterrupted blur
dering, do not want system or sin
plicity 10 taxation; for that woul
Leave them less money to misapprc
prisis. The organs Of the party !
service in Missouri, like the cberubiI
"are fond Of steady crying" and the
cry is "imPerial Missouri" and y,
Illinois, about the same age, amoun'
in people, wealth and business
nearly double what we do. Iowa
better managed; and even Kansi
with her droughts is fast crowdlng U
on US. II any n will imagine thl
there Is in this county, only $1,000
In money and q farm worth $40, 900
will sec that the taxable wealth
the county is $4,000. Now suppoI
the owners Of the money lend 1t TO Il
owner Of the farm and take bis notei
at once the assessor will put on b
books $4,000 although there has be-
no addition to the property in Il
county. Thus the people Of the coun'
pay taxes on one third more proper
than they have. Because some Of the
} try To protect themselves from Ii
r robbery they sre called ''taT-dodger
| by those interested in squeezing o
and squsudering the money Of Il
r people IN their private capacity. Not
not being any addition to the proper
OF the community, are not Q prop
: subject Of taxation. This Is aEiomatI
Suppose instead Of taking a WRIT
note q man would take an oral agre
ment in the presence Of wItnesSe
should We then tax the breath that Il
S man used in making a promise TO p
E dollars as II It were dollarsP
Notes, not being q proper subject
? tsIatisn, is money such1 When