The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-03
Nash's Idea Of Abolish
Ing State Taxes.
MAY Be ATTEMPTED
Plan on Foot to Pass State
Liquor Bill to Produce
Reveuue--Trust Tax
on Tapis.

Columbus. Nov. 29.-The Indications
are that the temperance element of the
Republican party is about to COM
promise with its conscience and pass
a liquor bill that will be departure
from that which was exploited two
years ago, and simply increase the Dow
tax. That plan now seems the one
that is inevitably to be carried out al
the coming session of the legislature.
In the first place, it is the pet theory
of Governor Nash that the state can be
run without direct state tax. No
body believes for a moment that 1t
will relieve the burdens of the tax
payer to any great extent, for in many
counties in the state the commission
ers are already at the limit of the tax
alton allowed by law and cannot there
fore levy more money. They will be
glad to get rid of the state tax, and
while the Republicans will take upon
themselves great glory for the accom-
plishment, the same levy will be agreed
upon in the various counties and the
poor taxpayer will do the same amount
of paying while the money will be
used in another way.
But whatever there may be as to
that, 1t is a fact that Governor Mash
finds his scheme to abolish the state
tax not feasible without an addition to
some of the incomes from other
sources. Secretary of State Laylin has
already. in his annual report, made
recommendation to tax corporations a
certain per cent. Of their capital stock
each year, which will bring in a large
sum of money. This feature of the
tax legislation for the coming session
is meeting with much favor. 1t is, in
fact, the one measure that the legisla
tors are likely to agree upon pretty
generally. The corporations them
selves are making but feeble protest.
Corporate wealth knows that its great
and good friend is legislature that
can be controlled by Mr. Hanna, Mr..
Dick ct al, and 1t is not prepared to in :.
terfere with the glory that that party
can get for campaign purposes by levy
ing this tax and incidentally getting
rid Of the state tax. They know that
it will all be handed back to them in
another fashion.
MEETS WITH FAVOR.
But il is meeting with favor all
along the line, the general impression
being that it is good sense to tax
trusts and heavy corporations il they
cannot be abolished. If they insist
upon controlling prices and gouging
the people 1t is popular plan to make
them pay for the privilege. AS sug-
gested, IL there were a possibility of
reducing the actual taxes to be paid
by the farmer and the laborer by this
measure, it would be one of the best
that has been suggested in Ohio for
many years.
But II 1t goes through. it will not be
sufficient to bring Governor Nash's pet
plans to a fruition. Some more money
will have to be raised to keep the state
on a paying basis. Here Is where the
liquor dealer will be made to pay for
the favors handed him out two years
ago, when the Republicans in the sen
ate defeated the Clark bill. The Dow
tax is to be raised to $780,
Some people do not stop in the in
vestigation for a cause, at the notions
entertained by Governor Nash. They
see a different state of affairs that
lcdub " thC tlDlc COuClu-
sion that while the liquor dealers, In
many parts of the state were endeavor-
ing to defeat certain candidates on
tickets other than the Republican
ticket, they were simply voting and
working to place themselves in a posi-
tion where they would have the privi-
Iege of paying out more money each
year..
Take for instance, the attitude of the
Anti-Saloon league. 1t has ostensibly
been fighting some of the candidates
on the Republican ticket for years, but
there is usually an increased majority
Tor those they fight. The effort to save
Clark, in Franklin county is already
looked upon with suspicion, and there
q talk Of straight deal. whereby II
the Republicans lost any representa-
tivcs in Franklin county-they were 20
be made up to them in other localities.
Senator Wilhelm was fought by the
Anti-Saloon league in Stark and Car
roll counties, at the nomination. It
was heralded from the housetops that
he would be bitterly opposed by the
Anti-Saloon league at the election.
What was done? How much energy
did the league display to defeat him +?
What was accomplished by the league?
Wilhelm had the largest majority on
the ticket in Stark county, and II the
Anti-Saloon league did anything to
defeat him II was not I'm evidence about
the polls on election day. The case OF
Representative Pollock Is almost iden
tical.
A CASE IN POINT.
MA A.. - r.. -