The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-12-07

tro! II regulation of the great in:erstat
common carriers as Will do away with tn
OWLS Wtslch give rise to the agitation
against them.
So the proper antidote to the dangerou
ana wicked agitation against the men o
wealth as such is TO secure by proper leg
islation and executive action the abolition
OF the grave abuses which actually do OBJ
ts'l IN connection with the business us'
rather no system-of failure to exercis,
any adequate control at ali.
Ihe reactionaries and the violent ex
trenaists show symptoms of Joining hands
against us. Both assert, for instance, tha'
II logical, We should go to government
ownership of railroads and the like; the
saceloharies, because on such an issue
them, while the extremists care rather t.
preach discomfort and agitation than to
achieve solid results.
As a matter of fact, our position Is as
remote from that of tho bourbon reaction.
airy as from that of the impracticable OF
sinister visionary. We hold that the gov
eminent should not conduct the business
OF the nation, but that 1T should exercise
sucn supervision as will insure it's being
conducted, in the interest of the nation.
our am is, so far as may be, to secure,
f3r an decent, hard working men, equality
OF opportunity and equality of burden.
me actual working of our laws has
SHOWN that the effort to prohibit all com
bination, good or bad, is noxious where
ital like combination of labor is a neces-
sary element of our present Industrial
system.
1t; and if it We're possible, such complete
prevention would do damage to the body
polite.
What we need is not vainly to try to
rigorous and adequate control and super
vision OF the combinations as to prevent
their ti%njuring the public.
Two Taxes.
The question of taxation is difficult in
any country, but 1T is especially difficult
IN ours with its federal system of govern
ment.. Some taxes SHOULD on every ground
be levied in a mall district for use in that
district; Thus the taxation of real estate
Is peculiarly one for the Immediate local
ity in which the real estate is found.
Again, there is no more legitimate tax
Tor any state than a tax on the franchises
conferred by that state upon street rail-
reads and similar corporations which OPP
crate wholly within the state boundaries,
sometimes in one and~sometimes in several
municipalities or other minor divisions of
the state.
Blu there are many kinds of taxes which
can only be levied by the general govern
ment SO as to produce the best results,
because, among other reasons, the at
tempt to impose them in one particular
state TOO often results merely in driving
the corporation or individual affected to
some other locality or other state.
me national government has long de-
rived its chief revenue from a tariff ON
imports and from an internal or excise
tax. In addition to these there is every
reason why. when next our system of tax
atlon is revised, the national government
should impose a graduated inheritance
tax, and, ii possible, a graduated income
tax.
The man of great wealth owes = necu-
liar obligation to the state, because he de-
rlVes special advantages from the mere
existence of government. Not only should
ne r~eeognize this obligation in the way
he leads his daily life orJ -, tto ,,o,- L..
earns and spends his money, but it should
also be recognized by the way in which
him..
ON the one hand, it is desirable III he
should assume his full and proper share
or the buraen OF taxation; on the other
name IT is quite as necessary that in this
the tax pay but little of it, there should
be clear recognition of the danger of in
augurating any such system save in a
Exactly how far the inheritance tax
would, as an incident, have the effect of
the transmission by devise or gift
the enormous fortunes in question it is
not necessary at present to discuss.
1t IS wise that progress in this direction
should be gradual.
At tlrst a permanent national Inheritance
than any such tax has hitherto been, need
not approximate, either in amount or in
the extent of the increase by graduation,
TO what SUCH a tax should ultimately be.
On Different Footing.
In Its incidents. and apart from the
main purpose of raising revenue, an in
come tax stands on an entirely different
footing, from an Inheritance tax; because
It involves no question of the perpetual
size. The question is in it's essence a
of the proper adjustment of bur
to benefits. As the law now stands
u is undoubtedly difficult to devise a ma
flOn9I income tay which cho11 10 oo~,.;
But whether it is absolutely inn
possible is another qeestion; and if pos
slhle 1t Is most certainly desirable. The
first purely income-tax law was passed by
the congress in 1861, but the most import
ant law dealing with the subject was that
1924. This the court held to be uncon-
The question is undoubtedly very intri-
cate, delicate, and troublesome. The de-
;ision of the court was only reached by
one majority. 1t is the law of the land,
oyally obeyed by all good citizens. Never
.heless, the hesitation evidently felt by
he court as a whole in coming to a con-
,lusion, when considered together with
ne previous decisions on the subject. may
perhaps indicate the possibility of devising
/ constitutional income-tax law which
, : n,ad stan al a%e,complish the results
'nly real necessity can Justify a
'esort thereto. Every effort should be
" uealllS Win this subject, as with
he subject of the proper control by the
lat1onal government over the use of cor
1orate wealth in interstate business. TO
levlse legislation which without such ac-
ION shall attain the desired end; but if |
his fails, there will ultimately be no al
to a constitutional amendment,
Agricultural.
Inc only other persons whose welfare is
Is vital to the welfare of the whole coun-
~ as is the welfare of the wageworkers
re the tlllers of the soil, the farmers. 1t
q mere truism to say that no growth of
ltleS. no growth of wealth, no industrial
evelopmen can atone for any falling off
n the character and standing of the farm
ng population. During the last few dec
Ldes this fact has been recognized with
ver-.ncreasing clearness. There is no
onger any failure to realize that farming.
least in certain branches, must become
technical and scientific profession. This
means that there must be open to farmers
he chance for technical and scientific
aiming, not theoretical merely but of the
most severely practical type. The farmer
a peculiarly high type of Amer
car citizenship, and he must have the
anne chance to rise and develop as other
american citizens have.
Irrigation.
Much is now being lone for the states
the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains
through the development of the nationai
.olicy OF Irrigation and forest preserva-
ion; no government policy for the better
lent OF our Internal conditions has been
lOre fruitful Of good than thfs rrho e..