The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-11-01

80 Us get oAtp uISueF EFouAu tAdn
that. Listen to the recent words OF
that wise and patriotic man who so rec
emily left us-eX-Presdent Benjamin
Harrison:
1T is 4 part Of our individual cove
nant as citizens with the state that we
will honestly and fully, in the rate or
proportion fixed from time to time. by law,
contribute our just share to all public
expenses. 4 full and conscientious dis
charge OF that duty by the citizen is one
Of the tests of good citizenship, To
evade that duty is a moral delinquency,
an uupatrlOtic act.
Il want TO emphasize. If | can, the
thought that the preservation OF this
principle of proportionate contribution,
according to the true value of what each
man has, to the public expenditures is
essential TO the maintenance of our free
institutions and Of peace and good order
in our communities.
The pulpit, the press, every agency
that deals with public, social and moral
questions should lend its help. There
should be committees Of public safety,
for, fellow citizens, | do not eXaggeratc
when say that the public safety is in
yolyed in more equal administration Of
our tax laws. Returns and assessments
must be equal and honest"
How these noble sentiments appeal to
our loyalty TO government! How they
refresh and inspire US and purify the
Il
plain the obligations OF wealth. LEI
them never be forgotten.
7 oor, ,,+ 70 COMO ,booro+;oal ,.u;.,,.,
s+a+ing Tho academic via,y no Gr,taj n''
the other side, If some attempts to make
these taX-dodgers pay up have failed In
the past. The discussion of this ques-
lion the endeayor iustly and euuallv ia
t9v this with every other class Of mon
erry will never he abandoned i'm Wisnon
sin until earnest, honest. nersistent in
telligent effort demonstrates its futiIity.
Assessment OF InIangloie property Not
Failure,
But such effort will NOT fail. II has
not failed. Proceeding under the glIiI-
ance Of the tax commission. we ara AL
ready making such progress thar tbn
people OF the state who are paving the
expense of this work will NOT tolrrate
any halt or turning back, The returns
now in for thirty-sevpn counties snow au
average increase in the discovery and as
sessment of notes. bonds, mortgages and
other taxable securities amounting to
S6G5. sos to the county. This is a snlen-
did showing for a beginning ana strongly
refutes the claim that this class of prop
erty canot be reached for taxation.
All. but we are warned that interest
rates will be raised if these holders of
re 'seS az tbeir taxes Tha uiV 't
4 money viii ALWAYS in the future, rs thew
have in the past, secure as much interest
as they can from the borrower, but the
interest rate will not be controlled by
local conditions entirely. The fact is,
however, that this scare argument OF
rise in interest rate is always ad-
vanced by the mortgage owner who Is
opposed to being taxed, or by someone
especially soicitous Of his interests and
there are no statistics which have been
able to find supporting any such state
ment. But suppOsDg II were true, after
all is not thar justf Is II fair in order
to keep the interest rate down a little
lower for the benefit Of the comparative
~ few borrowers OF them men or
large wealth who borrow on large scale
TO make the men who do not borrow
pay the taxes Of the rich mortgage own
err But we are warned further that If
the state makes these tax-dodgers pay
up they will send their money out of the
state Where will they send itI On
every side the states are waking up TO
the Importance and the justice of maHing
all property carry its fair share of the
tax burden and 1t will be a difficult mat
ter for these unpatriotic gentlemen, II
any such there really be, to find haven
where the taX-gatherer is not certain to
seek them out.
J.. r. ,..
ESCAPE u mOlteasrs lloih iaAdlion on-
Just to Other Property Owners.
No! MOI He who urges that those
who have so long escaped paying their
doing is unjust 10 the thousands Of hold
ers of mortgages who do pay He is I'M
!ust 10 me tens Oh tnousaIas oI o'het
LaAPaS eis W no h",e ~ n e ottA"he'' ~
Nuo w W. ssote9 IN ae or 49,
snops anu t" !,. amu uUi5 5 "m ddi Hun'
PaS Oh WA 'HeS 80 %" o " - tbnso MI
ii;, ~ I so. ,rtnros+ IaorIne ynortga%ns
nJ5 o.bor sannritios bida rro,n tbe os.
s SaS ue is fnrnisbine me raiJrood
and ntbar nnhEc.seryice cornoratious