Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-16

| didates are but the representatives of
the policies and measures sought to
be enacted into law.
"Taxation In Any Form Hardship"
challenge the business Of the Re
publicans on the question Of federal
taxation, believe it is in the interest
of a small but powerful class of our
citizenship. believe its 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 condemns
ton or appreciation upon this species
Of legislation.
One of the questions always upper.
! most and always serious and always
within the thought of the American
people is that of taxation.
The magnificent government we
now enjoy had its 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
1t was denied them, and thus the Rev
dictionary war, the brightest star
humanity beheld, since the birth of
cur Saviour, was witnessed, and equal
I ity was made successful issue.
President Arthur, said in one of his
messages that taxation in any form
was hardship, and only such sum
shouii be collected as a beneficent
government, economically admins
tered, required. We observe at the
presen: time, system of laws for the
collection of federal taxes that is not
in accordance with equality and right.
The burden necessary should be eqult-
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 go
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 for
the purpose of raising revenue, but it
takes from the pocket Of one man a
dollar aad gives it to another without
any compensation therefor This is
rot one of the purposes for which gov
ernments were instituted. It Ill be-
comes a republic founded on equality
to require one citizen to pay tribute
to another. This is one of the studies
Of the school that described to you
in the beginning in which the people
are students. It is not theory. 1t is
fact
They say to you at this hour that
you are prosperous, that you are OBJ
tanning good prices, and why do you
wish 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 di-
vision Of profits one Of the partners
retains all the benefit.
People Are Interested in Taxation.
My friends. the question of taxation
and what you shall pay to the support
of your government, is one in which
every citizen. irrespective Of party, is
interested. Why should there be a
question Of party between you and me,
residents of the great state Of Iowa,
engaged chiefly in agriculture, upon
the proposition of equal taxation? But
the question whether 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 general
public is one so fraught with evil that
1t is only partnership and partnership
in the benefits of the policy that In
duces men to refuse to discuss it. A
party unwilling to submit to the people
at any time the question of approving
or of disappearing such policy, wheth-
er before or after a presidential cleo