Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-09-04
THE BURDEN OF TAXATION

How many Of us stop to realize,
says The st. Augustine Record, that
we are now taxed as we were when
the nation was struggling for exist
ence-we OF the South attempting to
SCI up in business for ourselves and
the other States OF the Union engaged
In tremendous struggle against
mon OF Ike race, strength Of charac-
ter and physical endurance2 Can any
good reason be given why the business
OF the country should be taxed in a
time Of profound peace as 1t was
to maintain the most tremendous
war Of history? Can any good rea-
son be given why the expense Of con-
Quoting this government In time of
peace should be one billion dollars per
annuIn one thousand million dollars?
Is that system worth defending
which makes 1t profitable and sound
policy for the party in power to in
crease the expenses of the Govern
ment, year after year? With an APP
preparation Of billion year from
Congress can IL be explained with
any appearance OF decency why we
find II necessary 10 issue bonds for
the construction OF the canal, bonds
for irrigating lands while millions Of
acres are still without inhabitants,
bonds for retaining swamps and
bonds for controlling our rivers? Can
a deficiency aggregating a million
day be explained on any other prinei-
pie than that waste and extravaganza
characterize every operation of Gov.
eminent?
Why are not the American people
awake TO the evils OF excessive taxa
ton? For centuries we have been
trained to self-goyernment; for little
more than one generation the Japan.
ese have felt the responsibility. but
when the evils under which our backs
are bent fan upon Japan arc her PEG.
pie careless? An American after
months OF observation In the East
says:
"The entire Japanese nation Is
growing under the heavy taxation,
and a wave OF Socialism is sweeping
over the empire. Since the war with
Russia the standard OF living IN Japan
has increased 200 per cent. and owing
to the heavy debt incurred In the
struggle against the Russians the
government officials have placed the
taxes at an extremely high figure,
Everything Is taxed In Japan. and the
people are beginning to feel the ef.
fects OF such taxation. Among the
farmers there Is much bitterness
against the authorities, and trouble is
bound 10 result
We have been invited TO study the
Japanese In war--it might be well II
we copied them In peace as wen. Is
II because Americans no longer care
for their country that they are cal.
lous TO their own troublesS We are
told that the farmers OF the West are
content to let well enough alone
we are assured that the people OF
Kansas who ride IN automobiles and
have fat bank accounts win not heed
the warnings Of Bryan or any other,
they have no sympathy for others
while they are happy But this Is the
temper that goes before a fall; II Is
not because our territories are wide
and our cities rich and our fields pro
ductiye that We are safe
Living Ia this country has greatly
increased In cost; the practice OF tax
ING one man fof the benefit OF another
has been crystalllzed into a system,
the division Of the whole people into
tive classes who are favored and DIS
eliminated against goas steadily on
Il Is time there was change. No re-
public can continue without an op
position party; n the Republican me
chine u now powerful enough 20 over
ride all Opposllion--It a President. bs
commanding his army Of officials, car
control national conventions. dictate
policies and name his successor. Their
N h time aran for thOnN Who ride A