The Somerset reporter., 1906-05-17
The First DUTY Of a Citizen.


ment by the governed, The priceless
boon, the richest Inheritance Of each
and every citizen, is the right Of suff-
rage. BY the wise pendent use
Of the ballot at the proper time and
place each and every individual has as
much influence and voice il making the
laws by which be is 70 be governed, as the
other. Much complaint il beng made
az the present time al over our Kepub-
lie against the great trusts and monopo-
Lists. Much is being said against the
accumulation II hundreds 81 millions by
an individual man in the short SPACE Of
one life; much complaint against the
oppression Of tie middle glasses and
poor is being made every year; much
fault being found because the laws are
not made IN the interests Of these
classes much is said concerning the in.
fuences Of the corporations and great
mOneyed powers controlling legislation.
Is there any remedy against this and
the rapidly growing influence Of wealth,
above the iLfineuce Of labor? Is tie
Legislature Of Maine ike that OF Sew
York, run by the moneyed power2 Do
the rich corporations keep lobby at
the State capitol during every session Of
the Legislature to influence legislation In
their favor? The answer ia yes in every
instance. Is there any remedy2 Ger
tainly. The power is IN the hands of
the people Every farmer, every work
man in our shops and mills every car
penter, every man who uses the shovel
and hoe has one vote. His vote counts
as much as the vote of the millionaire
if he uses il at the right time and place
The time and place is al the primaries
and caucuses IN selecting men who will
represent them in the Senate and House
of Repre- sentatives, whose interests are
identical with the people. Why should
one class Of property pay more taxes
than another OF equal value? Can any
one tell? But it does The great rail-
roads, express companies, and the Wild
lands of the state. the majority Of
which are owned outside Of our state,
are not paying one quarter the taxes
according 10 the value Of tleIr property,
as do the farmers and house holders Of
Somerset County, and this will continue
just s. long az the farmers and laboring
men, and others Of the great middle
classes DO not arouse themselves and
exercise the right for which our fathers
fought and won the victory against op-
preston and taxation without repre-
senta,ion at Bunker Hill and York
Town.
The taxes must be paid II al the
property 5 not assessed that part which
is ASSESSED pays the whole What some
ought to pay and do not pay tie rest
must, thereby Increasing their taxes inst
50 much. II ,he railroads and other
corporate property, together With the
wild lands Il this STATE, pay taxes the
same as the average property holder
pays, our taxes would be reduced
twenty five per cert on the other pro-
perty. II Is ~ 10 the Individual voter
to say whether this shall still continue
until our property : entirely eonhscat-
ed, OF whether he vii exercise the right
of suffrage and % 10 tie primaries and
vote for men whose interests are IN the
direction Of taxation reform, or for
those who are directly interested IN
/ lodging 1t is up to the voter to say.
urge upon every Republican voter of
Somerset County TO 90 lis duty and
/ 60 to the primaries and know that you
send delegates TO the County convention
who will nominate candidates for Sena-
! tors who viii represent your interests.
1t is the only place where you can have
any Influence n legislation or in making
the laws by which you are governed
Do you believe that any one man in the
short span Of life allotted To Us can
( rightfuliy accumulate five hundred nil
lions OF dollars the same as John D.
Rockefeller? If he had been born one
thousand years before Adam and work
ed every working day from that time to
this at the average price of common
laborer, and put every dollar in a steel
locker, he would not have one half that
sum; part of that money has been
wrongfully taken from every tax payer
of Somerset County who has read or is
now reading this article by the light Of
his kerosene lamp. The same thing is
done, or Is being done in a smaller way,
by the great corporations of this state
and County 4 you do not ike il apply
the remedy that you have and attend
the caucuses and nominate men whose
interests are Identical With the many
and not the few Unless yau do this
you have no right 10 complain Of the
situation Sincerely yours.
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