West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-08-24
TAXATION A TERROR.

he alleged, because the proposed
constitution was framed to tax the
poor, the laboring people. Who
says he was not patriotic ? Indi
rect tax is unjust.
Just taxes are for the maintenance
OF righteous government, to secure
justice between man and man. Al
else is unjust.
A tariff that outlaws foreign trade,
is a tax lost TO the govern ment. and
the manufacturer, as matter ci
special privilege, reaps the harvest
of so called protection. Thus have
we been taxed to build the trusts.
Again we have built the great
transcontintntal roads, to the States
what toll roads are to counties.
We taxed ourselves to build these
great toll roads in way that coun.
ties never were taxed for toll roads.
We gave these railroads to few
select companies. These compan
les 10y injustice built the Rockefeller
trust and others
The trusts, by virtue of special
legislation, tax MS till we are now
forced to pay two prices for the
every day articles Of our home liv.
ing
The great corporations 60 into
legislatures and our courts, and fla
gran,ly defeat the proposition to tax
them for their wealth as others are
taxed. They escape taxation in
large measure, and the burden falls
on the plain people.
The government collects sroo in
liquor licenses, and the PLAN co.
PIE are taxed $1,000 for murder,
battery and riot cases in court
And now comes the National Ed
ucational Association, some of
whose eminent men declare for
taxes to give the school children of
great cities one square meal a day.
Is it any wonder the tax rate in
creases The whole rotten system
OF spoliation by special privilege
throws its burden on the plain, well.
to do people of moderate means.
But that class of people, beneath the
crush Of onetous taxation, indirect
and nefarious, is passing; after
which tariffs on articles Of consump.
ton must bear down the producing
classes, the workers Of the country.
The Mark Hannas and maybe,
the Roosevelts are surprised at the
appearance and growth of socialism.
Graft fattens on taxation wrung
from the people. Scandal follows
scandal. The people feel they are
robbed by system and lose confid-
ence in that system itself Spolia-
tion and exploitation are the order
of the day. From all this wreck of
capitalistc worlds the honest heart
turns aside TO the initial principle Of
eternal right, that what a man earns
he ought to have; that they who
create the nations wealth ought, by
right, 20 control it.
lawson says Rockefeller never
made an honest dollar. II not. he
has other peoples, property, stolen
goods in his possession II Rookie
feller's system of taxation has rob
bed the people, is there no restitu-
tion for, !he people The private
banking system was taxed out Of ex
is'ence for perhaps, a worse one.
Why should not the people tax back
TO themselves what is Justly theirs ?
The President may atttudinize as
a special pleader for monopohsuc
corporations and make rate bin
campaign, but the people are too
socialistic 20 be fooled by fuss and
feathers. The people know they
can control the property they own.
Chicago showed at the last election
how people regard private owner
ship Of public utilities They are
well aware that even a rate bin on
the statute books would not be en-.
forced against men worth their mil
lions, of the Paul Morton stripe OF
privileged criminals.
Call it social democracy, or so.
cialism, or what you will, and let
the rascals paint it red in hell OF
anarchy, the fact remains that every
man has a right TO live, 90 labor in
order TO live and to have the pro
duct of bis labor Only when men
come into possession Of their own.
can they be justly taxed for lepiU-
mate purposes Of government, for
administration, education an q
charity.
Any party honestly fsvoring
equal rights TO an and special priv.
ileges to none, direct legislation.
and election of United States Sena-
tors at The polls, shall have my sup
port. If the Democratic party Of
JET son, has ceased 10 be The party
OF tho people, as the party of Lin