The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-10-22
All Rights Reserved
BOOK 2.-Chapter XXI.

BUN l.-OudptCE AAAAs
F. Under a just exercise Of the taxing
power every postofice would be made
an agency of the government for this
purpose. Books would be provided at
those agencies, established wherever
needed, and at the valuation" pro-
vided for by law, each person, thus
delivering the scheduled articles,
would receive, at his option, either
receipt inscribed upon the books or
portable receipt, expressing in mon
ey" of the United States the quantity
Of value delivered to the government
by him.
The taxable wealth of the nation
would thus become also the taxpaying
wealth of the nation, and would cease
to be trampled upon by one favored
metal, whose production is thus slim
ulated out of all proportion to it's nat
ural utility, while the production of
all other commodities is correspond
ingly discouraged.
The government, as it should be,
would then be in possession of the en-
tire transportation system, and the
commodities thus received would be
transported by it and distributed as
the needs of the government and the
public should require All articles sub
ject to taxation would be by statute
given power to pay all tax levies and
judgments at the same price at which
they are valued for taxation, just as
gold coin alone now is.
Under this system here proposed,
there would be two forms of "coin,"
the one portable and the other sta
tionary, both negotiable. One form
would be inscribed upon pieces OF
silk-ribbed paper, in the money" of
the United States, for convenience in
carrying from place to place and in
the private traffic of the people; and
the other would be inscribed in the
same money" term in the books of
the government. These would be in
Interchangeable at the request of the
taxpayer
These certificates of payment of flu
ture taxes, whether on slips of paper
on on the books, would alike be trans
ferable by delivery or on request;
der equally with tie articles for
which they were issued, against all
tax levies and all judgments, for the
quantity of value expressed on their
face; and would be exempt from tax
alton and from execution for all
claims.
The taxpayer would have the OPP
ton to pay any tax levy or any judg-
ment, either by the tender of these
certificates or of an equivalent guam
tity of valuation in any taxable wealth
he might possess. This you'd cause
the force of demand to be uniform for
all articles included In the taxable
list and preserve against fluctuations
the prices of all taxable commodities
thus fixed by law.
Taxes would be levied upon all suit
able articles, which would be placed
in the schedule. and all else would be
exempt from taxation. Tax levies and
judgments would all be payable by
the tender of the articles taxed or in
either of the two forms of certificates
above named, showing that such ar
ticles as are taxable had already been
delivered to the government at some
former time, in payment of taxes to
be levied at som future time.
The burden of taxation falling ex-
clusively upon articles suitable for the
| purpose, would be counterbalanced by
the advantage accruing to such ar
ticles from their ability to perform
| the functions of s'coin,'' as a receipt
! by tender against tax levies and judg-
ments. at the price at which they
would be taxable. All articles for any
reason exempted from taxation. would
be handicapped y being incapable of
performing the two Offices of coin, as
receipts against tax levies and judg-
ments.
The two forms Of certificates named
the one stamped upon portable slips OF
silk-ribbed paper for convenience in
carrying about (and in private trades)
and the other inscribed upon the
books of the government for safe
keeping, would provide everv security
and convenience ever suggested by
| anybody as arising from savings
| banks. Here would be savings
bank, in which the books would con-