Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-10-25
Protectinu the Farmer.

Not only is this policy of relieving
our farms and homes from taxation
for schools and roads in accord with
the declared policy of the party. but
II is founded on the soundest princi-
pies of just taxation. Our farms and
homes are less productive to their
owners than any other channel from
which the state draws its revenues. 10
was necessary to tax them for the
support of the state many years ago.
when there were few other sources OF
revenue, but when the Republican
parts came into power in 1850, it gave
generous encouragement to capital
and energy to develop our hidden
wealth, and under that policy. with
corporate enterprises now reaching
into almost every community of the
state, usually realizing profits vastly
in excess of the profits of the farms
and homes, every consideration OF
justice calls for the gradual and early
release OF farms and homes from the
support OF the schools ana the improve
ment of our chief roads.
The Republican PARTY inaugurated
that policy a generation ago when the
state was yet largely in debt, by re-
leasing the farms and homes OF the
state from taxation for state purposes,
and has consistently followed that pol
icy by steadily increasing appropria-
tions to schools, and thus lessening
local taxation for that purpose. and
now has established the policy OF i'm
proving our highways by direct appro-
priations from the treasury.
Corporations have not only larger
profits. as a rule. than are realized
from farms and homes. but they have
special privileges in their franchises
limiting their liabilities for debts in
case of failure, and in many other
ways simplifying their business af-
fairs. while the farmer and all private
citizens are responsible for the last
dollar of debt they may incur.
Under Republican rule the entire
debt Of the state has been paid, with
equal, or quite and possibly more than.
the amount OF the principal paid in
interest, as the interest for many
years exceeded two millions Of dollars
annually Thus, We have drawn from
the revenues of the state nearly eighty
millions to liquidate our debt We
have state asylums for the insane In
every section of the state, with homes
for the helpless. reformatories for vi.
ts,- Hn1a rF.F4sa lsafl
chiefly by state appropriations in many
OF the inland cities and leading towns
of the commonwealth.
A Proud Republican Record.
The Republican party in Pennsyl
vania has emphasized the patriotic
and philanthT0pic aims OF its people
b. expending many millions for the
support OF the orphans OF soldiers
who gave their lives in the terrible
| struggle for the maintenance Of the
Union. and it has made the schoo
system the grandest and most benef
cient to be found in any state ol
| country or the world.
In addition to vast expenditures ir
the payment Of the public debt. In this
| construction of asylums and homes ent
| hospitals. in the education and care o
| the orphans OF the soldiers. in the ad
| vancement Of our school system
| which is accepted by all az the grand
est in the country. Pennsylvania unde1
| Republican rule has a surplus OF MANI
| millions in the treasury; and with al
| the extraordinary expenditures pai'
and the steady increase in the reve
nues Of the state, the time has COM
when the Republican candidate TO
Governor can well declare to the pee
ple Of the state that the homes ant
farms shall be speedily relieved from
taxation for schools and ultimately 70
the construction Of our chief nigh
| ways.
Every consideration Of Justice il
| taxation demands f.. and the polio.
or the Republican party has made 4
| possible to bring this great reform II
our tax system 10 its grand consum
/ fnatiCn