The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-01-11
JANUARY II, 1905

of all the people living in the concerned precincts.
towns or states, with their chief aim the pro-
motion of the general welfare; that is the most
possible good and least possible evil for the
concerned societies, which in reality are large
families, where every member has to contribute,
according to ability, his just share for the COM
good and is entitled to a just share from
the gifts of nature for his sustenance To pro-
mote the aim of those societies the concerned
executive departments are obliged to make peo-
pie give up part of their income, according to
ability, for the common welfare and that is done
through taxation
The railroad companies complain that they
are taxed too high on their property in proper
tion to the property of the people. To show
that their complaint is unjust, l translate the
following from the constitution of the state of
Zuerich, Switzerland.
Article 10 of that constitution says:
Every subject for taxation has to contribute
to the burdens of the state and commence ac-
cOrding to the resources of which he dispose.
The tax from incomes and property is to be
arranged in classes according to the principle
of a moderate and just progression Small prop
erty of people unfit to labor well part
of every income that is Internationally necessary
for living are exempted from taxation. The pro-
gression from incomes shall not exceed five per
cent, and from property the double amount of
the single tax rate, per cent
Do you not believe that railroad company
which robs the people Of Nebraska every year
of millions of dollars in exOrbiant freight rates.
can better afford to pay twofold the amount OF
the single tax rate from their property worth
millions OF dollars, than the poor widow can af-
ford to pay the single tax rate for her only goat
and half dozen chickens? DO you not think that
Rockefeller can more easily pay fve-fold tax
rate on his income of 900 than the poor
laborer can pay the single tax rate on his in
come, which hardly will buy bread enough for
his children?
mssioners do if | should issue injunction to
prevent you from collecting taxes from poor
widow? Well know from my own experience
that you would send the sheriff to attach even
the bed Of such poor woman in order to obtain
the tax. Why don't you send the sheriff out to
attach locomotives and other property to get
the tax out of those obstinate railroad COM
panies?
Before came to Nebraska | lived in Illinois
and / remember that back there a sheriff once
attached locomotive so as to get the tax Judge
Munger has no more right to stick his nose in
your tax list and prevent you from collecting
taxes than have. Last month this same Judge
Munger fined two rich cattle barons who stole
over 100000 acres of land worth many million
of dollars, only $500, and sentenced them to be
kept for six hours in custody of marshal per-
hitting them to play game of poker and to
drink champagne to the health of the Judge at a
private club. That Is the most shameful mockery
OF the Judiciary, fragrant, arbitrary transgres-
sion of the limits of official power. Such judge
is menace to our free institutions.
There are more people fined and sent to
jail in this country for ese majestic than in
Germany and Russia; the only difference is that
here they call it contempt of court.
Probably Judge Munger thinks that he can
not be made accountable for his arbitrary acts
because he is elected for life term but he is
mistaken in that Article III section / of the
constitution says:
The judicial power of the United States
shall be vested in one supreme court The judges
both of the supreme and inferior courts shall
hold their Offices during good behavior"
The constitution ordains the procedure Of
impeachment and II ever impeachment of an Of
iicer was justified il was in the case of that
Judge Munger
Free press is the safety valve on the no
htical boiler. Tie that safety valuve and the
boiler must burst | would rather be hung for
expressing my honest opinion than for looking
indinerenty at the arbitrary tyrannical acts
whereby this once free people are fettered and
robbed ont of the fruits of their hard labor
N y,