The Yale expositor., 1899-01-13

Under our present system we tax rail-
roads upon their gross earnings. The
roads has been he'd by high authority to
bo tax upon interstate commerce and,
therefore. void. No company has cared to
test this question in the courts and the
state cannot do so. But, independent of
this question, the method is unjust. The
tax upon the earnings or income operates
In favor of the railroad companies. When
the times are hard and the earnings
smaller. the tax Is less. In the meantime
the states burdens are no less, and may.
perhaps. have increased, and the relief ac-
corded to the railroad companies during
these lard times and depression must be
borne by the property owners generally.
Thus, during times of depression when
the people are less able TO pay, their bur-
dens are Increased. and just TO the extent
that the railroad companies burdens are
diminished.
What would be the result IL the state
attempted to collect the entire burden OF
tax upon earnings or income? How
much would the farmer or merchant have
contributed from 1898 to 1897? The result
would have been that the state would
have received but little II any income and
would have been bankrupt and unable to
meet Its obligations. Under a law that
provides for tax upon earnings and in
comes the state Is at great disadvan-
tage. II has no way of determining what
the earnings are How this system has
been tolerated all these years Is some
thing ] cannot understand There must
De something about great wealth or
power that affects legislators without
their knowledge or belief, and IL Is evident
that the legislators OF Michigan are no
exception TO the rule.
At this point the governor branches off
INTO a series Of illustrations from which
he deduces tho theory that the u. S. con-
gress is controlled by corruption. He also
declares that In the legislature OF Michi-
gan the Atkinson tax equalization bill
was defeated by money and corruption
kieturnlng to the subject of methods OF
taxation, he resumes:
l am satisfied that we should in some
manner raise sufficient revenue for state
expenses without having to apportion a
rect tax among the counties OF the state.
This system is vicious. II puts premium
on dishonest appralsement and permits
the county TO receive the benefit OF its
own wrong. Each county is trying to
keep down its valuation in order 10 pay
as little as possible of the state tax, and
the result is that while some counties are
assessed at practically their cash value
others are only assessed at 80 or 60 per
cent OF their cash value, and this appor-
uonment Is frequently made worse by the
state hoard OF equalization. II this ap-
portionment were done away with there
would be no object for the county to keep
down Its assessment. Each country would
then have 10 work out its own salvation,
and no county would be affected by the
assessment in another.
/ am in favor OF an income tax. be-
ieve that an income tax, based upon
very low percentage. and to n certain ex-
tent graduated. would be benefit to the
state and would not be oppressive TO
anyone. Great numbers Of people in this
state. receiving large salaries. reap the
benefit OF our schools and state instittr-
lions without paying n tax of any kind
! would suggest that all incomes UP to
taxation: that incomes from one to two
thousand dollars be taxed
Public Franchises-Munici own
ership.
Referring TO the immense value OF
street railway and other public fran
chises In great cities which have hereto
fore been given away by common coun-
ellis in spite of protests Of the people, the
governor recommends: Cd The passage
Of an act making it requisite to the valid
ity Of franchise In the streets OF any
municipality that the ordinance granting
such rights shall be voted upon and APP
proved l by citizens C9 The passage of
nicipality the right to establish and
maintain their own street car system.
The arguments in favor of municipal
here in detail but a few may be briefly
stated: ID The taking out of the con-
troll OF the council Of a matter which
fruitful source of municipal corruption.
CD The tendency Of public plant to
give the greatest consideration to the
lives and comfort OF passengers. 90 The
tendency Of such n system to conflne
the tracks to as few streets as possible,
instead Of as in the franchise system to
cover as many as possible. (D The re-
consistent with the cost of maintenance.
Trusts and Combines.
There Is no feature of our times that
should so alarm the patriot, nor is there
any so well calculated to drive the we'll
meaning legislator to despair, as that
which confronts us on all sides in the
rapid concentration of all the productive
energies of the nation in the hands of
overSrown corporations, or multiple cor
porations called trusts; or, where more
solid combinations cannot be effected, by
means of inter-corporate agreements for
the purpose of limiting competition, and
with the means of transportation and in
accommodation, namely, the rail-
roads. telegraph lines and telephones. In
spite of the feeble effort of the federal
Interstate commerce law to check the
tendency, 1t has continued almost unin-
terruptedly, and promises to continue in
centration of ownership and manage
ment has proceeded much more rapidly
since that law was passed than before.
Where these agreements have been open
instances interposed a check, but such
Interruptions TO the process have only
driven the promoters to more Ingenious
Tie same cloud of centralized owner
ship and control is spreading over the
means of movement on our interior
waters. where floats, and must float for
many years to come, the chief part of
the American merchant marine. There
seems no longer 10 De any room Tor the
individual steamboat owner. The amount
of capital required for the successful
conduct OF the business is nearly as far
beyond the resources of a single indi-
vidual as that needed for the conduct
OF railroad Tens of millions concen-
trated in one corporation, and controlled
by one hand, are devoted to the con-
struction and management of an enor-
nous feet Of gigantic vessels, whose
owners also seize by the same means the
wealth of the mines that furnish cargoes
for them, and thus render all competi-
ton by lesser men or organizations i'm
possible. Whole fleets are rendered OBJ
solete and lie rotting at the docks, hun
dreds of owners are impoverished and
men who were formerly their own mas
tiers are reduced either to poverty or to
the condition of employees.
Much as We might deTiore this con-
centration of the ownership of the facili-
ties for transportation and communica-
ton. 1t might be tolerated as the newt
able price the public must pay for the
best results in these great and necessary
services which individual enterprise and
energy could never afford. Short of gov
eminent ownership and control of these
quasi-public functions, no means are yet
apparent adequate TO prevent their rapid
concentration in few hands and at one
great center of wealth.
Our liberation might be all the more
complacent. could we indulge the hope
that the process would stop at the BUSH
poca Of anH iufarNnu1pnafnt-