Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-02-12

At the last meeting of the Economic
League, Mr.. o. G. Barber read paper
on Taxation" that attracted unusual
attention. The Democrat has been
requested to publish Mr.. Barber's re-
marks in full. In view OF thls request
the article follows:
have listened with great care to the
arguments of Judge Kohler. His in
telligent presentation of the question
from his standpoint, should receive at
my hands more than an unthought-out,
disconnected reply. A man who labors
over every thought that it may be
presented intelligently, is not flippant
debator. I shall, therefore, follow the
drift of my mind as presented in this
paper which 1 have prepared on the
question we are debating rather than
analytically digesting his arguments
as in worthy combat for supremacy of
argument or oratory.
Ernest Seaton Thompson, in his
beautiful word pictures OF wild ami
mails, says: "The life of the wild ami
NAL always has tragic end" His
book illustrates how the weaker, al
ways seeking safety by most cunning
devices, is sooner or later brought to
a tragic end by his stronger competi-
tor for life, who needs the weaker for
food, and man is no exception in the
animal kingdom.
am not quite clear myself why this
illustration has occurred to me. 1t may
be- that human ways are largely
animal ways, after all, and that we all
by cunning devices seek to overcome
our stronger competitors, or to avoid
them. -
To my mind, no human device Of
taxation is so well calculated to arouse
the cunning man, even to dishonesty,
as the device of State Inquisitor,
over a mans actions, OF its next door
neighbor, an income tax. The greatest
blessing Of mankind is just tax for
wholesome public purposes.
1 have been great admirer of the
works of Napoleon The Third, for his
wonderful achievements in remode!ng
Paris, and furnishing to his country
wonderful good. highways and public
improvements, and the Identification
of his country, all of which must have
been done by taxation.
The proper use of money acquired
by high taxation, justly assessed in
proportion to wealth, can not but be
a public blessing, but any action in the
way of taxation that dishonesty dis
eliminates against any class of wealth,
brings sure disaster, discomfort and
strife. That all men should be equally
protected in their rights, is the funda-
mental principle of our form of govern
ment. This protection not only extends
to the police protection over their lives
and property, but that they should be
equally taxed according to. the value
of their property.
A man may be the possessor of a
great genius, from which he may de-
rive large income, yet not be possess
GU VI piopeity VI any SichI Nh'uc' AL
income tax on such man would be
unjust without, in turn, the income OF
the most humble citizen was equally
taxed in proportion to his income-they
both requiring the same police protec-
tion-otherwise, you make II paternal
government, protecting one at the ex'
pense of the other-a form that does
not bring out the best independent cit
izenship. ~,
All good citizens participate in the
government and are responsible to it
and for 1t, and should help bear the
burden in proportion to their wealth.
or their income, if the government rs
TO he run on an income tax.
While | am taking the negative OF
this'income tax question in this debate
/ am not certain but that would he