The daily sentinel., 1902-01-30
The BuckIin Bill.

The BuckIin Bill.
When . new measure Of taxation 4
proposed to take the place Of that which
hss been long established. it, provisiona
should be 70 plain and self-evident Of
improvement - to require no argument.
1t may be possible that Senator Bueklin
thoroughly understands his proposed
tax amendment, but il he does he has
tho advantage Of other citizens.
His article published. wherein he At
tempts to combat adverse criticism and
explain the meaning of the proposed
amendment. impsrts but little Informs
ton. Sslf-evident propositions require
no argument, no explanation. An AZ
gument to show what thing 10 not In
no manner shows what it is. pro-
posed scheme Of taxation, which requires
kindergarten school or an object lesson
to prove its benefit, il = weak child to
contend against long established custom.
And yet, weak and puny ~ it may be, 1t
may unsettle confidence and be produc-
tive of much harm with but little pros
pect OF good. a
Certain laws and systems may b up.
plicabls to certain peoples and condi-
tions and be entirely unit for othsrs.
1t is said that the proposed amendment
10 not tho Australian system nor il it
the single tax idea. II 90 it has not the
advantage Of successful experiment nor
the benefit of extensive discussion. It
is not an experiment to establish = veri-
ty, but rather an experiment. to deter
mine whether . verify exists. In law,
politics, religion and finance We start
with proposition and work out details.
We do not start with an experiment and
try to establish proposition. That limo
is proper in the medical experimental
schools, but it don't apply to government
tai Affairs. Even in the medical depart
ment they have to bribs q victim to sub
NIT to an experiment. Guinea pigs and
other soulless aDim als are usually chos-
on.
1t may be admitted that the method
of enforcing taxation In Colorado has
been unjust and unequal, but the fault
has not been with the law nor the cor
porations. It has boon with tho officers
who were chosen to carry the law into
effect. When an officer takes an oath
to assess property at its cash value and
then admits that he assessed at one
third 20 that bis county might pay ~
little ~ possible for stats purposes, it is
good thing for him that he did not live
In the days OF Ananias. Ananias was
not even under oath, yet something hap
pened to him.
When railroads are taxed at full value
and other property at one third they are
paying three dollars for ono and in self
defence they will Aght.
There arc communities in this state
where state. county and local taxes
amount 70 80 mills ON the dollar, arate
of taxation that will scare an investor
worse than a quarantine; yet the deni-
sen will explain that the tax in reality
only amounts to 231 mills because the
assessment 10 on . one-third basis and
that this 10 done to escape state taxation
a system which, II carried out in each
county. has simply the effect Of high
levy on small assessment, but il resort
cd to with the hope Of getting an sdvant-
age somewhere and its tendency is to
mako men and corporations tax dodgers
A few thorough prosecutions for viola.
ton of oath and odicial duties would
settle the trouble and the taxation laws
would be just and equitable a. they now
exist, L. R. Rhodes.