The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-08-28

by which telegraph. telephone and ex-
press companies are taxed provides a
simple method of arriving at the real
value of taxation of steam railroad
street railroad and similar classes of
franchise property. Yet the Republic
can legislature refused to apply that
method to the property of those pow
erful corporations. Acting in the in
terest of the privileged corporations,
1t has retailed the Objectionable laws,
auditors, steam railroads and street
car companies have for years been
able to shift from themselves to the
small home owners and farmers Of the
state two-thirds of the burden of tax
alton which in justice these corpora
tions ought to bear.
BY way of pretended remedy for
this fragrant abuse, the legislature has
at the dictation of Republican mana
gers and their corporate allies, i'm
posed an annual tax upon the capital
stock of all corporations, including
unprivileged business companies.
While bringing diminishing revenue
into the state treasury and proving
bupdensome restriction upon legiti-
mate business, this tax falls most
heavily upon corporations least able
to bear it, and practically exempts
those that are enriched by valuable
special privileges.
Besides making srch trifiing and de-
ceptive alterations in our tax laws in
the name of remedial legislation, the
Republican managers have been
guilty of manifest duplicity. In def
erehce to overwhelming public de-
mands for tax reform, they permitted
the adoption by the legislature Of
resolution submitting to the people
an amendment to the state constitu-
ton authorizing fair classification
of property for purposes of taxation.
But supposing that now the popular
feeling on the subject may have tenn
porarily subsided, yet not daring to
risk a popular vote on this amendment
they have prevented the Republican
convention from approving it. The
amendment is thereby deprived of the
benfit of a place in the Republican
column on the official ballot.
In consequence of the alliance OF
privileged corporations and Republi-
can managers in Ohio, the recent his
tory of the Republican party OF this
state in connection with taxation is
glaring and unvarying record Of
double dealing with the people, Of ia
voIftism toward railroad, street car,
and other public service corporations,
local officials as have tried to remedy
these fiscal abuses, and of free pass
bribery-open, bold and habitual-to-
gether with indications of kinds of
bribery more profitable and potent,
though less audacious. With such a
record, it is natural that the Republi-
can leaders and their corporate allies
and beneficiaries should endeavor tc
evade a campaign on state issues.
Their bad record in state and muni-
cipal government is explanation
enough of their challenge to a con-
troversy upon national issues, at a
time when and in state where no ma
tional principle or policy is at stake,
either directly or indirectly.
That the alliance of Republican
leaders in Ohio with the privileged
corporations has the aid of some Ohio
Democrats, we freely concede. But
these Democrats are not in control OF
the Democratic party of the state;
and that party as now organized is re-
buking and disowning them as fast
as it finds them out. An object ues-
son on this point was furnished at
the special session of the legislature,
Eight Democratic legislators support
ed the corporation alliance by voting
for the Cincinnati curative act
For this treachery to their party and
violation of their pledges to the >peo-
pie, every one of them has been rele-
gated to private life by the Democrat
ic party. While conceding that some
Ohio Democrats are corruptly allied
with the privileged corporations we
ask the people of the state to observe
an important fact in that connection.
In the Democratic party as now Or
ganized, Democrats who have such al
liances are punished; whereas, in the
Republican party as now controlled
Republicans who make such alliances
are rewarded.
POINTS TO CITY OF CLEVELAND. {.
We confidently believe that the
awakened voters Of the Republican
party in Ohio will no longer tolerate
the betrayal Of the public interests and
their own confidence by their party
managers and the privileged corpora
tions to whose service those party man
| ayers are primarily devoted. Republi-