The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-01-07


must exercise the one TO maintain its ex-
istence II must use the other In a wise and
proper regulation OF It's AFFAIRS.
! am satisfied that we should In some
manner raise sufficient revenue for state
expenses without having 10 apportion a
direct tax among the counties OF the state.
This system ~ vicious. IL puts a premium
on dishonest appraisement and permits
the county 10 receive the benefit OF It's own
wrong. Each county Is trying to keep
down it's valuation In order TO 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 so or go per cent. OF their
cash value, and this apportionmcnt IN fire.
quently made worse by the state board OF
equalization. III this apportionment were
done away with there would be no object
for the county TO keep down its assess
ment Each county would then have TO
work out It's own salvation. and no county
would be affected by the assessment in an
other.
| am I'm favor OF an income tax. I be-
lieve that an income tax based upon a
very low percentage. and 10 a certain ex-
tent graduated. would be a benefit TO the
state and would not be oppressive TO any
one Great numbers OF people In this state
receiving large salaries. reap the benefit
OF our schools and state institutions with
out paying a tax OF any kind. would sug-
I
from taxation. that incomes from 81, 600 10
$1,000 be taxed at the rate OF one-fourth of
one per cent; all incomes between s.. 600
and $4,000. one-half of one per cent. all in
comes between $4,000 and $1,000. one per
cent, and I'm the same proportion as the
incomes increase In amount / think this
would make unnecessary any direct levy
against the various counties OF the state.
Frnnchise Grabbing.
The recent emphatic protest OF the people
OF Chicago against the granting OF so
year street car franchise has brought a
very important question again before the
public.
From the time or the establishment OF
street railways In this country. the rate OF
fare has been 1--WE cents. While the cost
OF operation has been greatly reduced, no
reduction has been made In fares
In my opinion, the matter Is one that de-
mands action at your hands. The RENE
dies would propose are: CD The passage
OF an act making IL requisite TO the validity
OF franchise in the streets of any
municipality that the ordinance granting
such rights shall be voted upon and APP
proved by the citizens. CD The passage OF
an act giving 10 the people OF any munich
pality the right TO establish and maintain
their own street car system.
The arguments In favor OF municipal
ownership are too many TO be stated here
In detail. but few may be briefly stated !:
CD The taking out OF the control of the
council OF a matter which has always. IN
large cities. been the most fruitful source
OF municipal corruption. CD The tendency
OF a public plant 10 give the greatest con-
sideration TO the lives and comfort of
passengers CD The tendency OF such a
system TO confine the tracks 10 as few
streets as possible, instead OF as in the
franchise system 20 cover as many as pos
sble. co The reduction OF fares TO as low
A mint tx consistent with the coat 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. that
which confronts us on all sides in the rap
Id concentration OF all the productive en-
crgies OF the nation In the hands OF over
grown corporations. or multiple corpora
lions called trusts, or. where more solid
combinations cannot be effected by means
OF intercorporate agreements for the pur-
pose or limiting competition. and control
ing prices The process began with the
means or transportation and intercom-
munichtion. namely. the railroads. tele-
graph lines and telephones. In spite OF the
feeble effort OF the federal interstate com
merce law to check the tendency. II has
continued almost uninterruptedly, and
promises TO continue I'm the future.
These and other combines. not mentioned
here. and formed or reorganized since the
antitrust law was passed by congress In
1890. and controlled by comparatively
few men, control a capital of nearly three
and Il half-billons OF dollars equal to -
per cent. OF the entire wealth OF the 7.000,-
600 OF agricultural population scattered
over more than four and a half millions OF
farms, "A capital more than twice the ag-
gregute OF the entire circulating medium
OF the country
Nor does the process stop here. The very
newspapers. upon whose independence and
honesty the people depend for their In
struction on public affairs. have combined,
primarily to cheaper the cost OF collecting
OF news. into "A gigantic news trust called
the Associated Press. which, controlled by
a few men at Chicago, has been able to
distort the truth In many prominent In
stances, and TO poison with such distor-
ton the very fountain OF popular informa-
ton
There is no salvation for the consumer
except In free competitions there Is no dig
nifty, no manhood for the laborer except In
the comparative independence ne derives
through the free competition OF many em-
ployers who seek his services. When there
shall be but one source from which the com
sumner can obtain his supplies but one en-
ployer 10 whom the laborer can offer his
services. both consumer and laborer VIII
be slaves.
our leaders, our press and our legislators
have not yet fully realized what this de-
grading process means to the future or a
republic founded upon democratic princi-
pies. democratic republic cannot sur
vivc the disappearance of IA democratic
population. When our hundreds OF thou
sands OF free merchants have become the
mere hirelings OF vast mercantile corpora
lions which have crushed them out OF
business when the little shops. In which
our people trade with their neiRhbors. have
disappeared In ruins before the growth OF
few enormous establishments In each
town which absorb all the trade. when all
the great Industries have been concentrate
ed in the hands OF few gigantic corpora
lions; when the yeomanry OF the farms
have lost their lands TO great proprietors,
and have sunk TO the condition OF the ten
ant and the serf. when the artisan may Of
\ fer his services 10 but one great corporate
| employer I'm his own trade-end shall be
utterly at the mercy OF that One--where
shall the republic find the Independent
| voter, the free man, to govern ~ In peace.
| 10 defend a In war? There Will no longer
be men in this country: there Will be only.
on one side corporation managers. and on
/ the other a mass OF servile and dependent