The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-01-31
LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT.

Editor Herald: The Herald declares
that il stands with the American fOl
"a higher standard Of ublic and pri-
vate morality, for temperance in al
things. for honest elections. and the
rights Of towns and cities 10 self
government
If the JeffersoniAn doctrine of Local
self government or home rule generally
prevailed. and each municipality.
precinct or county were left fres TO
determine for itself all matters pertain
ing solely to itself. many would be
surprised to find this departure prove
great incentive TO "a higher
standard Of public and private morality.
temperance and honest elections.
II Is not the province of government
TO make men moral temperate or
honest. II il is. then State Socialism
Is the true form of government. The
only proper function of government
!. is to prevent aggression. jefferson
:. said: That government is best which
! governs least. That greatest of
American statesmen believed that
government should expand from the
individual TO the community. whether
municipality, precinct, or township;
TO the county, thence to the State and
finally the Nation. The opposite theory
OF Hamilton was that the people were
unit to assume all the responsibilities
OF government, and that it should filter
down, with increasing limitations,
from the wise rulers at the head of
national affairs, to the humble
creatures of its provident care, who,
incidentally. support all government
In no department of government are
the people affected whether for veal
or woe, to the same extent, as in the
matter of taxation. 1t follows that the
question of taxation beyond all others,
should be local question, SO far as it
pertains to local affairs. There is a
growing movement in several states |
having for its object the assessment of
the franchises of public service cor
porations on par with other property. |
The PROPOSE ton has advanced in some
states to the point of recommending
the entire separation of state taxes
from county and municipal taxes, the
state revenues to be raised from the
above named source, supplemented by
liquor licences, while the minor
governments are to be left free to raise
their revenues from any sources which
majority of their voters may direct.
Thus if any community desired to
exempt industrial enterprises tempo
rarily or permanently, or to repeal all
local licence tax ordinances or cOnfine
taxes to real estate, no other county
or municipality could object, and
such departure would not affect the
revenues of the State. If any com
muniJy took a mistaken step it could
be rectified at the next election, while
an advantageous system would be /
copied by other communities. until
eventually just and economical sys-
tenn of taxation would be evolved.
Government would be simplified and
public attention would be concentrated
on public affairs. With special privi-
leges abolished or taxed to their full !
value, public morality would be greatly I
Instead of depending on ]
special laws to enrich some at the
expense of others. the tendency would :
be for reward to follow industry, thus
to healthy social state
where temperance and honesty would
De the rule. CAIUS.