Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-12

man states followed a similar course
and during the 18th century many ar
tiStic industries were founded under
official management The object was
not financial; it was rather to supply
a standard for private producers, and
to discharge the functions now sup
posed to belong to exhibitions. Such
would not be counte-
nanced in theory, in the United States,
for they interfere with private man.
ufacture, and also doubtless the state
could not secure for itself the origin
atty and adaptibility of the private
factory. But there is no hesitancy in
making appropriations for popular en-
hibitions.
Identical with these government
factories, however, is the present at
tempt of the United States to improve
agriculture by standardization
and by granting aid to agricultural col
leges. At present the movement is
successful, principally thru the efforts
of Secretary Wilson.
1t is now the universal custom for
the state to manage the postoffice bus
mess of the country Following this
1T is argued that the telegraph should
become part of the system. There
is a resemblance in the work done by
each, but there are also serious differ
ences. In telegraphing constant re-
newals and extensions are required in
order to meet wear and supply new
demands. Experiments in other coun-
tries seem to show that the plan of
state managed telegraph system is not
apt to prove finain cially successful.
A like industry is state-management
of railways, and other means of trans
portation The desirability of this in
the United States cannot be establish
ed by economic history Of such man.
agement in other countries where it
has been tried, because conditions in
the United States in this regard are
so different In practice, a stronger
case can be made out for the owner
ship or management of street rail
way lines by municipalities. than for
/ the ownership or management of the
general means of transportation in a
state These are open questions, and
await the test of experience for de-
! termination.
The form of, state revenue with
which we are most familiar is that de-
rived from taxation of real and per-
sonal property In all civilized coun-
tries elaborate machinery is provided
for the assessment and collection of
taxes, and it is difficult to conceive a
state of society where the expenses of
government should be met thru self
assessment and voluntary payment.
There are such survivals, however,
and Rev. DIR. Warren thus describes
such community:
''For four years it was the good for
tune of the present writer to be do
miciled in one of these communities.
incredible as it may seem to beliey-
ers in the necessity of legal enforce
ment of taxes by pains and penalties,
he was for that period, by law and
usage, in the strictest sense of the
term, his own assessor and his own
tax gatherer. In common with the
other citizens he was invited, without
4 sworn statement or declaration, td
make such contribution to the public
charges as seemed to him just and
Equitable. That sum, uncounted by
any official, unknown to any but him
self, he was asked to drop with his
. own hand into strong public chest;
on doing which his name was checked
off the list of contributors, his duty
:. DONE"
The effect of this on the revernet
gentleman is not stated, but he sur
: yiyed to tell the tale. In such com
munity the business of tax ferrets
: would languish, and it would not bt
a pleasant place for man who hat
both property and conscience.
In discussing public revenue tn
: Importance of taxation has led to 1t
consideration as almost the sol
means by which the state derives it
income. This is not true of the Uni
ed States even, and still less Is it al
, plicable to other countries; for in Gel
) many large revenue is still derive
| from state mines, and from lands farm
) ed by the state. Says a leading wri
: er:
r "State expenditure may be looked o
. as a question of public policy to be d.
E cided by the practical judgment {
! that crafty and insiduous animal WI
\ garity called a statesman or polit
t cian:' the quasi-private receipts ma
Y be treated as almost part of priyat
:. economy, but taxation raises a serie
i of fundamental questions which Il
l. volve refined ethical and econom
: considerations. The effect of any gi
/ en- tax system is a strictly economi
g question requiring for it's solution fir
n uent reference to the conditions bot
S of production and of distribution
e What ought to be the syste,
d adopted in each special case must /
v decided by reference to both NOR
and economic conditions. Assumir
l. that the partition of the burden shou
J. be Just one, we must estimate i
l. true weight and the share really borr
O by each citizen before we can come
e conclusion for or against any pr
S posed arrangement.
j. The subject under considerable
s has thus been defined, one among {
1t most innumerable definitions: "a t;
o is a compulsory contribution of I'll
r wealth of person or body of persol
n for the service of the public powers
y That tax is compulsory does n
mean that all taxes are paid UNIV
e lingly but merely that the will of tt
1t person paying is legally immateri;
W The amount, the mode and time or lie
e ing, the persons affected, are all q
termined by the state, and individu
I. preferences or dislikes are allow
e no place in the act. 1t thus folio,
q that voluntary taxation is not real
)e tayotion al all and in tho instan