Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-11

domain is turned over to be skinned
by men whose only concern is to get
what they can out of it at the mo-
ment, without any regard to whether
or not it is ruined so far as the next
generation is concerned. In other
words, the range is not so much
used as wasted by abuse; and as an
incident conflict and bloodshed fire.
quently arise between opposing users.
With the rapid settling of the West
the range is more and more over
grazed. Moreover, much Of it can not
be used to advantage unless it is
fenced, for fencing is the only way
by which to keep in check the alb
sentee owners of nomad focks which
roam hither and thither, utterly de-
stroying the pasturage and leaving a
waste behind, SO that their presence.
is incompatible with the presence of
home-makers. Good judges estimate
that our public range has now lost
nearly half its value, vet fencing is
against the law, and as the law now
stands it is well-nigh impossible to
do anything to keep the value of the
range. The only practical remedy is
to give control of the range to the
Federal Government. Such control
would not only stop all conflict but
would conserve the forage without
stopping its use, as our experience
with the national forests has fully
proved. 1t would likewise secure to
the. West the great benefits Of legiti..
mate fencing without Interfering in
the slightest with the settlement of
the country-on the contrary, while.
promoting the settlement of the
country. Hitherto, however, it has
not proved possible to get any legis-
lation to secure these ends. The
destruction of the public range will
continue until, as nation, we insist
upon the enactment Of some such
laws as those I have advocated 81
Matter of Taxation. AZ
Now as to the. matter Of taxation.
Most great civilized countries have.
an income tax and an inheritance
tax. In my Judgment both should be
part of our system of Federal taxa
ton. I speak diffidently about the
INCOME low hooo,ca ona roIxavoo fo,.
an income tax was declared uncon-
stitutiOnal by the Supreme Court by
five to four vote; and in addition it
is a difficult tax to administer in it's
practical workings, and great care
would have to be exercised to see that
it was not evaded by the very man
whom it is most desirable to have
taxed, for If SO evaded it would Of
course be worse than no tax at all,
as the least desirable of all taxes is
the tax which bears heavily upon the
honest as compared with the dishon-
income tax of the proper type would
be a desirable permanent feature Of
Federal taxation, and I hope that one
may be devised which the Supreme
Court will declare constitutional.
In my judgment, however, the in
heritance tax is both far better
method of taxation, and far more i'm
portant for the purpose I have in
vieW-the purpose of having the swol-
len fortunes Of the country bear in
proportion to their size a constantly
increasing burden Of taxation. These
fortunes exist solely because of the
| protection given the owners by the
| public. They are constant source
of care and anxiety to the public ami
it is eminently just that they should
be forced to pay heavily for the pro.
lection given them.
8 I. g = = . . - - = 8 I: . 4: = !.
= do not believe that any adj I:
: vantage comes either to the I:
4 : country as a whole or to the I:
4 = AAoisiuudio 1ik1CliClA6 TIC uCACy =
/ = by permitting the transmission !:
= in their entirety of such enorm- !:
Z. Gus fortunes as have been accnm- !:
!: ulated in America. !:
So 80 $ ]. -. !:
| Such heavy progressive tax is o
| course in no shape or way tax Of
thrift or industry, for thrift and in
/ dustry have ceased to possess an,
! measurable importance in the acquisi
ton Of the swollen fortunes o
/ which ! speak long before the ia,
1 would in any way seriously affec
them. Such tax would be one o
the methods by which we would tr.
4 to preserve a measurable equalit,
/ of opportunity for the people Of TIL
| generation growing to manhood.
AS Lincoln pointed out, there ar
some respects In which men are OF
viously not equal; but there lis n
reason why there should not be al
III ann 5ifu ~ yaif ,.,,o :, = a = o - l..