El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-16

ment.
-'The study Of no single phase Of So
clety win bring such conviction OF its
general lnefticiency and injustice as
study OF taxation. The general prop
erty tax is theoretically sound, but prac-
ucally oppressive and Inefficient.
The tax on real estate-Which is a part
OF the general property taX-penalizes
the progressive man and rewards the
parasite who gets in the road Of prog
ress and gets rich out OF the unearned
Increment The income tax is theOr-
edcally perfect, but practically unfair
and unjust: first, because, as applied,
It always sets class against class; and,
second, because II is the most difficult
OF all taxes fairly to assess and col
DDS necessary in its assessment it IS
cordially hated wherever it exists and
is to the great school of liars what
the frig1d zone IS 10 certain migra-
tory birdS-their natural breeding
ground. The excise tax is virtually
either an income tax, or a tax upon
business activity without reference to
profits. The tariff tax takes from the
consumer vastly more than 1t gives
the government, and where the bal
ance shall go is at the bottom of all
tariff struggles. The collateral inner
Iance tax, otherwise known as death
duties. may have some justification
but on its face 1t is coWardly and pro-
vokes radical action because Of its
''The extreme features Of some Of
these laws represent the same states
mansh1p which taxes the premiums
of life insurance companies The state
needs the money; it is easy to get and
there is no such thing as a state con-
science which may rebel because the
dead or the defenceless are WrOnged
The Church and Injustice.
And what shall we say Of the effect
OF religion in securing the reign OF
Justice On the earth2 One hesitates
TO speak in other than terms Of praise
or subject that deals with what is
most sacred TO the human heart: and
yet II must be confessed that the prin-
ciple OF exclusion which runs through
all the great religions has been at the
root OF the greatest antagonism and
the gravest injustices. The claim to
superiority might have safely been left
to be indicated by experience, but
when men claimed to be the sole re-
clp1ents Of q divine revelation and the
sole repositories Of divine truth, they
naturally became prOselyters and
when they attained power they Just a s
naturally became prosecutors. No other
SUBJECT has divided men more radio
ally; none has been the cause of
deeper animOsities: in no conflicts
have greater cruelty and Injustice been
perpetrated. Religion is still a source
Of injustice wherever there is a church
established by law. In this particular
-perfeet religious nberty-we have
unQuesuonably advanced so far that
We may fairly be said to have out
stripped the rest Of the world
Again take the processes Of law.
LOOK at the operation of that part of
government which is devoted especially
TO securing Justice-the courts Have
you ever been a utigant2 Have YOU
ever sat on a petit jury or on
grand jury? Law is not a science, not
an end. but a means to an end and that
end is justice. But with US law has be-
come an institution, and when any nor
ton Of organized society becomes in
n haa
cnaic; when 1t becomes archaic it be-
comes reactionary. We are faced with
that condition now.
nave you seen business genius and
efficiency develop to such a degree that
It made the United States the admira-
llon ana wonder Of the world? And
nave you seen that splendid struc-
ture rlddled by the bullets Of legal
uncertainty, fired not only by dema-
gogs but by the government itself?
You have seen all that
The assault on business really began
six years ago with the assault on life
insurance. Politicians then learned
that sensationalism was politically
profitable They learned that a path
to preferment and fame lay open be-
fore the man who fed sensationalism
While properly attacking faults They
learned that every established prin-
ciple Of economics every sound doc
trine in legislation, could be violated
and the violation counted a distinction
If such action seemed to be a part Of
an assault on size and success and the
evils which usually 90 with great sue
cesses.
Why shouldn't society and govern
ment be conducted as business IS con
ducted2 Is It possible to devise a plan
under which a neglect Of social or
civic duty win be visited with penal
ties, just as a business lapse is Wis
tied with penalties2 Notwithstanding
what the makers Of text books tell US,
government is not a science. It prob
ably never viii be. It might be a SEN
sible business system; but it is not yet
that in this country
In Germany municipal government
has advanced far toward that ideal
Governing German cities is a profess /
sion. The mayor is chosen as a rail-
road president is chosen here, because