Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-05-23

Tariff builders now consult, avowedly.
the interest OF the favored manufacturer
rather than that of the consuming public.
Ship subsidies are proposed-to be paid
from public taxes-for the benefit Of the
ship owner and builder. The coastwise
navigation laws are to be extended to
the Philippine islands, land it is significant
that congress in considering the wisdom
of such action seemed more interested
in determining the effect Of such ex-
tension OH the corasge manufacturers Of
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. than the
result upon the welfare of the Filipinos.
1t seemed to be row between the
cordage trust East and the nascent
cordade trust West.
The inequalities permitted by pro-
tective tariff have bred the trusts. They
were conceived in protection and brought
forth in class legislation, and their
monstrous growth does not disguise their
parentage. Talk Of good trusts and bad
trusts is quibbliny. There are no good
trusts but "busted" trusts.
Democracy is the sole remaining
champion OF the true doctrine that repre-.
sentation should go hand in hand with
taxation. This principle, supposed to
have been forever firmly established by
the revolution of '76, is openly denied
and detied, as witness the Philippine
islands and Porto Rico.
These few instances serve to show the
tendencies of those removing the ancient
the democratic party stands for the
maxim formulated by Adam Smith that,
every tax should be so contrived as to
take out and keep out of the pocket Of
the people as little as possible over and
above what is necessary for public ex.
expense.
The republic that departs from this is
as surely lost as that human greed grows
by what it feeds on.
"Human natures unco weak and little
to be trustit." And the trust or industry
grown to gigantic manhood on the infant
food protection, never takes gently to the
stomach pump, but when supplies are
cut of Is apt to lay out its injudicious
parent with club
We find, as we would naturally expect
to find, that the national example has
debauched the states. In no state with.
in my knowledge, least OF all within this
state, are the burdens OF taxation equally
distributed. and here the laws directed
to that end are not even attempted to be
enforced. 1t is a fact alike infamous
and notorious, that corporations and
many individuals, do not bear due
portion OF the public burden in this state.
Particularly is this true OF public SER
vice rporatons-creatures of the state
and by it endowed with peculiar powers
and privileges. Banks. as rule, and
railways, transportation, express, tele-
graph and telephone companies, in
varably, evade by fully four tifths their
just proportion of taxes. venture the
assertion that the average private citizen
of this state, not rated by the commercial
agencies, pays taxes approXimating one
and one-haf per cent OF the actual fair,
cash value of his property; that the
average citizen, rated by the commercial
agencies, pays approximately one per
cent; that the average public service cor
poration Gncluding all common carriers,
telegraph and telephone companies) pays
not to eqceed one-half Of one per cent.
l am not vouching for the accuracy Of
the per centages given, but that the
relative conditions are as illustrated, l
do not believe anyone who has given the
matter the slightest consideration will
doubt.
1t is hope and an object Of democracy
in this state to in part remedy these con.
ditions and in the attempt it is entitled
to the assistance Of every honest man
without regard to his general partisan
affiliations.
The taxes in this state are outrageously
high. On total valuation Of about $780,.
900, 100000 state, county and municipal
assessments are about IS, $50 ,OOO. 90, or a
little over per cent on the assessed
valuation. We can safely warrant that
il the inequality Of assessment is cor
rected and an equitable and lawful dis.
tribution OF the burden is made, the
total per centage required to be paid will
very shortly decrease.
This will follow for the very simple
reason that when the banks, corporations
and favored individuals who. under the
present administration Of affairs are per
mitted to evade their share, are required
to pay at the approximate rate of ~
per cent, instead Of that of one half Of
one per cent, they will promptly join
with us in an effort to introduce the
much-needed administrative reforms tha
will reduce state, county and municipal
expenditures TO the basis required by
propriety and wise economy.
This is the democratic attitude towarc
state and local taxation, and it is only