Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-28
TIE PHILLIPS LETTER
Democratic Candidate Writes
Letter Of Acceptance Of Nom
ination For Governor.
Lays Aside All National Issues
as Having No Bearing
on Campaign.
Taxation and Reform OF the
Liquor Laws His Princi-
pal Themes.

Ottumwa, Sept. 2S.-Following is tn
! text of Democratic Candidate Phillips
letter of acceptance Of the nomination
i for governor:
| ottumwa, Ia, Sept. %, 1soi.-Hon. j
y. McMahon. Toledo; Hon. j. A. Green
Stone City; Hon d. w. .Hamilton; Sig
Journey; notification committee. s'irs:
iamsit1 receipt OF your communication o
4 the S1st day of August, 1901, informin.
ime of my nomination for governor b.
4 the democratic state convention, held al
Dies Moines on Aug. 81 last. ! have de-
ferred giving formal acceptance there
to during the period when our countr,
was bowed down in grief at the crue
assassination of the nations chief ma.
gistrate, and until such time as I'VE are
compelled to again take up the affairs
of life and government. at the close OF
the sad and final obsequies at the grave
OF William Mckinley.
The platform adopted at that cclnyen-
ton declares that the present campaign
should be confined to state issues. and
by such declaration has eliminated from
this campaign all national questions
upon which there may be some differ
ence OF opinion. National questions are
rapidly changing and what a year or
1.-TWO may bring forth is not to be ut this
time fully ascertained, and, therefore.
can only urge that all persons who be-
! iieye in the fundamental principles OF
democracy join with us in the state
campaign this year and become active
factors in helping to formulate a party
policy OF the future 80 that full and
complete expression OF the rank and file
OF the party may be reflected In our
platfcrme
Confident Of the wisdom Of laying
aside for this campaign the principles
enunciated in the Kansas City platform
of 1900
earnestly appeal to the voters of
Iowa for support Of the democratic
candidates upon the wise and broad
platform which was adopted at Des
8foines.
+ There is nothing in the administration
of government affairs which will do
more to promote good feeling among all
citizens. and allay turmoil and strife,
than to compel the equal contribution Of
;eacn person, according to his means. to
the support OF the government. To know
that ones neighbor, possessing more
prupesty,-ie paying 1ass~- tnxes elrounes
the taxpayer 10 d feeling of recent.
ment and sometimes of great itternesr.
There is no question but what the ex-
ipenees of government, state and ma
,tional, does not rest upon all persons
alike. In this campaign our party be-!
comes the aggressor In the matter OF
state taxation, the same as we have In
the past contended against the UNEQUAL
tribute levied upon the people under
our national tariff laws National tax
alton has been based, by the republican
party, upon the theory that taxation
could be Of benefit to some individuals
or some corporations. when as q matter
Of fact, taxation, pure and simple, ts al
ways burden and never should be used
for the, benefit of anything except the
tax levying power and authority. A
system OF taxation which admits, OF the
formation OF trusts and combines. 80
that. Americas products are sold higher
at home than the same products are
sold abroad. has always been opposed
by the democratic party. The democrat
fc party's course upon taxation ques-
lions has been consistent and 1t sis now
the party thru which the people of
Iowa must expect and can expect just
assessment and taxation laws and a
fearless execution OF the game. The
functions of government should not be
used to promote the welfare OF the In
3iividual except as one of many, and
when such powers are claimed, II is not
strange that those who are unfortunate
or unsuccessful should place the respon-
sibility upon government for their own
condition and with the consequent de-
termination to oppose government as
the source OF the inequalities, which we
know exist.
Uneaual and unjust assessment and
taxation exist in Iowa. Corporations es-
cape their just proportion of the public
burden. This should not be allowed. Our
laws should be 90 formulated 10 as to
offer no means by which the corpora
ton. or the individual OF large means,
can avoid It's just proportion of necessa-
~ contribution to the public revenue. 1t
will not do to place real properly of the
state and railroad properties In the same
class, as being easily discovered and
listed for taxation, and then to argue
that q large percentage OF the personal
property Of the state does not come to
the knowledge of the assessor and that
therefore 1t is right and proper for rail-
roads alone to have their burdens les
scned to an amount sufficient to equal
ize the same with the amount Of person.
al property which ought to bear taxa
stion. This seems to have been the
nrjnciple under which railroad assess
ments have been made in Iowa, for in all
cases the railroad properties and not the
farms and town lots have been benefited
by this republican argument. To secure
the listing of personal property for tax
ation YOU must first Undue the tax
payer with the idea that taxes shall be
expended in wise and economical
manner and that the assessments of
railroads and other corporations will not
be made by public officials who are SUB
seryient to the interests of corporations.
public officials are elected as the repre-
sentatives of the people. The corpora
tions hire their representatives and such
persons, lobbyists and agents to appear
before the legislature. the executive
council and other officials Of the state
for the purpose of securing advantages
over the people and the taxpayers. and
when they do SO 1t becomes necessary
for the public officials to stand out man.
fully for the right, for if they do not no
one else will. No efforts are made by
any one except corporations to control