The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-03-18

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the product of special privilege, and
the state, which is the whole people,
IS certainly entitled to compensation
for privileges granted in the accum-
ulation of great fortunes by reason
of special privilege.
Sec. 2. In this section the legis-
lature is under mandate to make
proper monetary provision for car
rying on the state government.
This IS an absolute necessity.
Sec. 3. Enumerates number of
varieties of property for taxation,
but covers every kind Of property
under the words, All real and per-
sonal property, 7 and puts the meas
ure Of taxation at the true value in
money" This part of this section
is an amplifction of section l. AS
the exemptions in this section are in
the proposed amendment we shall
consider them separately.
Sec. 4. Brings the business of
banking and its liability for taxation
on level with all other varieties of
property for taxation. This needs
no comment. All the items and
safeguards enumerated in the above
sections, that the amendment is in
tended to supercede, will be swept
away if the amendment carries next
fall. Now let US see what we will
have in the place of the safeguards
in the above sections. AS the tax
alton part of the amendment is short
we will here repeat t. iso as to have
it right before US while we discuss
it.
The power of taxation shall new
er be surrendered, suspended, or
contracted away. Taxes shall be
uniform on the same class of sub
jects, and shall be levied and col
lected for public purposes.
We will now state our objections
to this measure. In the first place
it is not republican but autocratic,
for republics are governed by a con-
stitution defining the powers of its
representatives This measure is,
as it was said to be by its authors,
wide open" Now we speak of a
town as wide open" where no re-
straints are put on dance hall, sa-
looms and immortality Of every
description, so does this tax measure
wipe away all restraints in taxation.
in fact, it is imperial and the legis-
lature has not limits. imposed on it
in the matter of taxation. That this
, is true may be seen from the attor-
ney generals own words in a letter
TO me in July, 1906. He says: ''The
power of the state, through its leg
islature. to impose taxes for public
| purposes is limited only by the pub
| lie needs, and the exercise Of the
power is unbounded. except as linn
tied by the constitution. Take away
all these limitations and all forms of
property can be taxed"
: If that is not unlimited power ]
don't know what is. And this pow
err is to be perpetual. Note the
word never. This power "shall new
er be surrendered" etc. No matter
how unjust or burdensome; the peo-
pie who pay the taxes must bear
their load, for, unless the legisla-
; ture should conclude to submit an
other amendment this would stand
4 as the people have not the initiative
in our constitution to compel the
legislature to any measure.
I'd. This thing opens the way tc
! class legislation. Taxation is to be
uniform on the same class of sub
jects. It is intended then to classify
!. subjects for taxation; this was done
! several years ago by the Theder
bill, most infamous measure, which
; came near passing both houses bu
: was knocked out by these very sec
: tons of our constitution. The writ
: er had hand in knocking out tha
bill and received many compliment
; thereon; we want no class taxation
Sd. This tax amendment open
the way to graft in legislation. Leg
! islators are not all angels any more
than the rest Of mankind. Nov
with unlimited power in the matte
of taxation, in classified subjects
what is to hinder members from
III - n