Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-04-20
ESSEX County Ncra(A,
Organized tyranny worse than
that of an individual.

alrhlnkS al lnuldlta 10 NNlfN llNih'ltll 2
lists seem To listen with Indifference nr
sort OF a hush feeling. and the oppn>i- F.
tion with satisfaction a. exposing the
true sentiments and tendencies "i the
times. poin, ont most clearly the drift
of the country. \ great lawyer aud
statesman is so far melted 10y the ardur
of the times that he SAYS that although
he is opposed to taxation without repre-
sentatiom aud that any policy resembling
that of George III is rrpugnmt i9 hl>
mind. vet as the present scheme ut taNa-
ton is in accordance with the cohNrH,nS
of opinion he is willing to disregard this
principle, regard Il departure from the
fundamental laws of the country a> q
mere incident in the proceeding, and :"
in for the bill. Now Senator Fairbanks
does what good lawyer did not have
the hardihood to do. He undertakes to
satisfy the apologist for a departure
from the Constitution that this move is
not on the same principl" ON which
George III was acting, 10y saying -
The question before rs is quite differ
ent from the one against which our fore
fathers so reSslutely aud successfully
protested.
when George III imposed taxes
without representation. there existed Il
system OF colonial governments with
capacity to provide for the public urcr,-
.itie. of the people. They were COM
petent and capable of lcNying their own
taxes. The taxation imposed by Eng
land was l part of her permanent policy
the assertion of apowrrto hr exercised
arbitrarily and without limit as t" time,
and the money to be raised would "in-
crease the fees and salaries Of the crown
officers in the plantations and the pen
sions and Sinecure places hrld 10y favor
ties in England" and to maintain Il
military establishment in tine colonies.
son the other hand. Porto Rico is
without capacity TO provide for the pub
lie needs. The existing dutie, are to Ice
reduced. and continue in force only UNI
Ill there shall I've erected in the island a
government capable of leyyng taxes tol
its support. and not 10 continue lonGrl
than two years III amy event. 1hrpcnd
ing bill. which provides for the r"dur
ton of the Dina ty duties to almost a
nominal basis, provides for most Ito
oral form of government, under Whlrl
the people of Porto Rico are to I've given
plenary power over the subject of thci
own revenue. The proposed duties art
to meet a temporary eXlgency and arr
not part of the permanent policy q
the United States. Sir. there is not tn,
slightest difficulty in diiteremtiatiug tin,
broad, liberal, unselhSh purpose of the
present bill from the narrow surdid, an,
indefensible policy OF George ILL.,"
That was part of the permmou
policy OF England. 1t is aNowedhy Tia
friends of this measure that this legisla
ton is necessary to vindicate the RICH
of this government to pursue the polio
indicated by this bill, Is it nec"sSar
to do temporary thing for the purpos
of establishing precedent when no pen
manent conditions are contemplated
What could Indicate u stronger intcm
towards permanent policy? But Their
was capacity in the colonial govern
ment.' Is it more just to apply a Y
cious system of taxation to men wantin
in capacity than to those capable o
Judging concerning their rights? Bu
the money raised by the tyranuouS sy
TEN of George III would create crow
officers and sinecures, and feed Englis
favorites. King George would deny TIN
as imperialists of today deny that thcS
taxes will feed favorites in Porto Rice
and if King George could run amy faStc
to feed favoriteS than these times Ito h
must have struck good gait.
The Porto Rico bill "provides for
most liberal form of government" Tn;
is Just what King George said to I'll
colonial governments. But King George
purpose was to "maintain military e
Establishment in the colonies" Is it ne
the present purpose to maintain a mil
tary establishment as long as the Supren
power shall think best? Is not that e,
actly the policy King George announced
Is it any more defensible fora repuhl
to adopt an arbitrary system than for
king to do precisely the same? Ii
more becoming to say the leasD in III
King. 1t is singular that tyranny whic
is so odous 70 him upon whom it
practiced becomes SO delightful whe
the subject of it comes to exercise ii o
others. 1t must he feature in huma
nature akin to that which induces tn
general manager of corporation t
berate his assistant. the assistant t
elbow up the foreman. the foreman t
go Tor the Waterman. the watchman t
cuff the sweep and the sweep to 90 HON
and kick the dog.
But it is time to burn up those oil
school books which taught that the su,
cess OF this experiment of Srli-govcrl
ment would be the last if it failed. tina
its main hope was in its devotion to tn
principles on which it was founded, am
that the preservation Of trials by iur
were the "palladium of the liberties c
the people" for Senator Fairbanks saws
General Davis concurred fully in tn
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