The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-09-17

didates are but the representatives Of
the policies and measures sought to
be enacted into law.
"Taxaton in Any Form Hardship"
1 challenge the business of the Re-
! pubicans on the question of federal
taxation, l believe it is in the interest
! Of small but powerful class of our
\ citizenship. l believe it's success
means the upbuilding of caste and
class in this country such as was never
before known and it remains for the
people to place the seal of condemna-
ton or appreciation upon this species
of legislation.
| One of the questions always upper
j most and always serious and always
within the thought of the American
| people is that of taxation.
The magnificent government we
now enjoy had it's original plan based
upon the proposition of equal rights.
Our fathers believed that taxation
without representation, was not only
odious but tyrannous. In order that
| tley themselves might have voice IN
| fixing the amount Of taxes to be levied,
and collected, they insisted upon rep
resentation in the British parliament.
4 It was denied them, and thus the Rev
olutionary war, the brightest Star
humanity beheld, since the birth OF
cur Saviour, was witnessed, and equal
i ity was made successful issue.
I President Arthur said in one of his
/ messages that taxation in any form
was hardship, and only such sum
/ should be collected as a beneficent
government, economically admins
tered, required. We observe at the
present time, system of laws for the
collection of federal taxes that is not
in accordance with equality and right
The burden necessary should be equ1t-
ably distributed and those the least
able to pay should not bear most OF
the load. The wealth of our country
should sustain as much of the burden
as should labor What the laboring
nan eats and wears should not be
taxed to death that luxuries may &C
: free.
Taxation in any form is burden
and each citizen must bear his share
for the support of his government. The
system now in vogue is not alone tol
the purpose of raising revenue, but il
takes from the pocket of one man 6
dollar aad gives it to another without
, any compensation therefor. This is
rot one of the purposes for which gov
ernments were instituted. 1t i'll be
comes republic founded on equality
to require one citizen to pay tribute
to another. This is one of the studle:
of the school that I described to yor
in the beginning in which the people
are students. 1t is not theory. 1t is
a fact.
They say to you at this hour thai
, you are prosperous, that you are OBJ
tanning good prices, and why do yol
| wish a change? You wish it because
the present rule makes the rich richer
without corresponding benefit to che
consumer. There can be no such thing
as permanent prosperity if in the iii
vision of profits one of the partners
7 retains all the benefit.
People Are Interested in Taxation.
My friends, the question of taxation
and what you shall pay to the supper,
: OF your government, is one in which
every citizen, irrespective Of party, is
Interested. Why should there be {
question of party between you and me
residents Of the great state of Iowa
engaged chiefly in agriculture, upor
the proposition of equal taxation? Bu1
the question whether 1 shall support
you is an entirely different proposition
The question whether the government
shall lend its aid to assist industries
to thrive at the expense of the genera
public is one SO fraught with evil thai
1t is only partnership and partnership
in the benefits of the policy that Ia
duces men to refuse to discuss it. A
4 party unwilling to submit to the people
at any time the question of approving
or of disappearing such policy, wheth
: or before or after presidential cleo