Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-08-08
THE REVENUE MEASURE.

ferday, the much heralded and disuu3s-
ed revenue measure has been tecid-
ed against the state and In favor oi
the plaintiffs. The railroads asso
ciated themselves ana commenced
suit. particularly attacking that pog.
tlon changing tho mode OF assesslne
railroad property. While the fnll
text OF Judge Dison's decision has not
been received the suit was brought
on the ground that the measure was
passed after the legal expiration Of
the general assembly. that important
amendments hnd heen added without
printing same az required and that the
assessing power could not be dele
gated TO certain number OF state aB
sessors.
The case win now go TO tho suprcicn
court for anal adjudication. as he
state win Immediately appeal aud 'hc
court of highest resort Will ai once
take up the matter, and all other bus
iness viii be laid aside IN order thai
the affairs Of state may not become
elogfcd.
or course. there Is no WY ef telling
what Will bo the decision Of ilo Nu
prcmo court, at the same time tha con.
census OF legal opinion haa beon from
the first that II would not stand the
test. This was mgdc plain immcdi.
atciy after adjournment whom The
Denver Post the next day announced
that the measure was Illegal and an
extra session would be- necessary. but
Governor orman. probably already
chagrlpncd si the policy OF The fusion
legislature, refused to call an oxtra
session.. trusting that the measure
would not be attacked or might pun
through.
The decision goes Into the full NOR
TIA of the case and tho oniltc law ip
held to be unconstitutional us viii ap'
pear IN additional dispatches in to-
days paper.
The result ls no more than ezpect-
cd II again cxemplihea the folly
OF electing apoilsmen Ia office men
whose only ambition has been 20 hold
Office for what there WIS Ia IT. Lass
fall. under the alleged silver issue
the Representatives OF The Democrat,
ie. Populists and Silver Republicans
spent three days In Denver vtnngling
over state spoils. and men wcre so
lected for state bonors thn, &rro do.
nounced on all sides, and the POPS ad
ministcrcd roasting 30 the pCmu
crHta thai beat nnythinE the l,cpub
leans were ever guilty or In the
interests Of Tom Paterson aud few
others the state was infested with
men who went around TO see that fns
ion was accomplished ia legislative
districts, and we NIL know the dis.
reputable deals In Arapahoe county
tina, were Mike dlsgrnoerm to all con
cernad. SIN, under tho alleged sit
yer prctcyt. the ticket wa8 eicetedi
The Legislature Was almost unanimous
Iy fusion. In fact the Democrats
were In control OF both branches, but
allowed fusion methods - prevail
We all remember how ths schslon
spent the first two weeks aud many
days thereafter wrnnglinR over q teW
unnecessary employees. that al. bust
ness WINS thereby put on nntil the
closing days. when tho revenue menu.
ure came MP aud WAR ruahel through
after the iegal expiration 81 The as
sembly without printing anl proper
adoption of material amendments, etc.
all due To the inoompctency oi tho
members elected and their eusira for
pie for few political henchmcn. in
stead OF the interests Of the stato.
Thus we have fair sample Of fpsion-
Democratic spoils inoompet sncy and
now the people OF the state viii have
to pay for H.
As to the raise In valuations. the
Knocking out OF the revenue law will
not likely have any material effect.
as the old law contemplated cash val
uations. but 1t was never lived up to
ms fully as should have been the case
The principal itcp OF loss will be in
special taxes of which probably one
hundred thousand dollars have already
been paid probably more Tho
state. therefore. Is this much ahead
as taxes once paid and reoeipied for
are difilcult to recover and no danger
of any returns hclng made. no matter
II collected under false pretonsog.
The saloons and drug stores that have
paid the S25 tax are out their money
with no recourse, and the same ls
true of all corporations that have paid
a corporation tax, The provisions
OF the measure that have not yet hecn
effective will be evaded--at least I'M
I'll the supreme court renders doois-
Ion.
In conclusion. the revenue measure
WIS bungling piece OF business
showing the Incompetence OF tho mon
who engineered It and, above nll. tho
evils of elcctlng men TO Office on aamo |
national issue who are unfit for -he I
positions and whose only ambition |
was to help ont themselves aud their
co-workers.
or course. thcre were few excep-
items. as might be naturally expected
hut Democrats themselves canont help
hut realize the truth Of The Herald's
position on general grounds.
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Zebulum Pike has been strictly In |
a. = l.