The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-02
His Address on The Equalization Of
Taxation.
Delivered Before Far
mers' League.
Double Taxation and the Effect
Upon the State.

At a mee,in OF the Farmers and Ial
Payers league yesterday afternoon q
SWEETS hotel there was fair attend
ance. Hon. W. II. Lconey was present
and spoke on the ;Eq 1ilizaiion of Taxa
tion." His address was II 'tensd to with
great interest.
Mr. Looney said that as this movsmen'
was one to elualize the burdens OF taxa
items, and TO make all classes Of property
bear their fair and just proportion CT TIE
publ, expense, he was heartily In favor
oft Was there occasion for change In
our tar lawsP he thought eren q cursory
examination Of the question wouli con-
vince one that there was The farmers
and individual real estats owners In the
villages and cities complain that they nrs
unfairly taxed, and that the corporations
Of the ct ,te do not pay their shsrs OF the
taxes. Was this trueY Governors Ding
ley. EurIeigh, Bodwell, Robie. Plaisted
and Davis, In their messages, most clear
~ conveyed the impression that In their
Judgment the farmers grievance was
well founded, and that change In our
mtsuOiS VI biAutiohp cShSsho W
compelling railroads. telegraphs. express
and insurance companies to pay more
taxes than trey do now, was imperativsIy
demanded. Tbs commissioners appoints
under the resolve of the legislature OF 1857
to inquire into our system Of taxation, In
their able and elaborate report also nd'
sised n deal changes In our tax laws.
But although reform In our tax lava
BY which the burdens shall be lifted from
the shoulders Of the producers OF the state
was urgently advised by the several chief
magistrates and the tax commission. al
though the evils OF our unjust and unfair
system have become almost intolerable,
no great and beneficial change has been
INSIDE. Why? Because the representatives
of certain vested Interests, particularly In
the cities, aud ring politicians. net the
people, too often select our representatives
and senators. When In the legislature
they represent not the people but those to
whom they owe their nomination. This
Is due to the Indifference and apathy OF
the peopls. Tho people are then to blame
for the lamentabls condition Of affairs.
with permits an oligarohy OF wealth
and political rings to dictate who shall
represent US and enact our laws Why, he
asked, are there 81 many paid lobbyists
and representatives Of certain corpora
lions at Augutta during every session Of
the legislatureY Has not the lobby become
so powerful, 50 domineering and so inso :
lent that no laws can tie enacted without
its consent? Is 1t not true that so brszsn
and SO defiant and 50 powerful has this
lobby become, SO plant and sutservient
have Legislators become to It's behests
that in the judgment of all intelligent
observers there is just cause for alarm
Until this humiliatinR and disgraceful
condition Of affairs Is remedied, until the
psople send men to Augusta who will
represent them and not certain corpora
ticn and corrupt political interests which
have prostituted the machinery OF the
patty to promote their corrupt schemes
and ssltish am billions, until this 10 dore
there can and will Q no reform In the
tax or 9th er laws In this stats.