The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-27
CURRENTCOMMENT



score another triumph for the commission
sorm of government and the opponents OF
mac hlne rule In spite of the bitter opposition
o. the old politicians and the local "orgaIaza-
uons, the voters of Trenton, N j., by 81 ma
Jority of 1904 adopted the commission form
OF government Tuesday Only by desperate eff.
torts We're Its opponents enabled to defeat the
commission plan In Bayonne. and though they
won there by margin Of but five votes the
Bayonne result hailed as defeat for
Wilson" Finding that the OLD city council
system had proved failure, and believing that
better government could be secured py nlacing
municipal affairs In the hands of a small num-
her of trained men who could ne neld respon-
sible' the governor. with his usual rranxness
and force. declared himself In favor of the
commission plan and advocated 1t with vigor
that has brought results.
With the politicians of botn parties the
liquor men and their friends sody against
MIN, the governor can never induce Trenton
to adopt this new-fangled reform" the WISE
acres said. They laughed at the business men
who undertook the campaign, calling them
amateurs and "tenderfoots" The profess
SIGNALS were fighting for their political lives
as they realized the change wouru result in
aholishing many places held by themselves
and their heeiers. The Democratic bosses saw
an opportunity to strike n blow at Governor
Wilson, whom they have not forgiven for his
defeat of Smith and election of Martin as
United States Senator They hoped to humiii-
ate Wilson, and made him the subject of per-
sonal attack.
hut the business men organized the Com
mission Government League and patriotic cti-
were determined to break the hold of the poH-
ticians on the city government, and they waged
the contest In every quarter AS result. 10
out of the IA wards were carried for the COM
mission. Both the Republican and Democratic
organizations were routed. horse, foot and dra-
goons
When those who favor good government
unite and wage campaign with vigor and
determination professional politicians-no
matter how powerful-can stand against them.
The Trenton election is another exemplifca-
ton of the fact that when the voters make
up their minds they smash the machines
Mt single hlow-Batimore Sun.
The writer some time ago had an interesting
talk with an intelligent workingman who had
always voted the Republican ticket. This man
said that fifteen years ago ne made dollar
a day and supported his wife and several chill
dren. Now he makes dollar and a half a
day, and has to support except himself
and his wife He says he is not as well Off
as he was fifteen years ago; that 1t takes his
dollar and half day nearly to live. He
said he had not paid his poll tax Of $3.50 be-
cause he simply did not have the money This
man now realizes that he is burdened with
many Indirect taxes each year, which many
times exceed the poll tax,
Take, for instance, the matter OF sugar
alone. He and his wife use about 100 pounds
OF sugar year The revenue tax on raw sn-
gar Is one cent q pound. This goes to the Fed
eral government, and is tax in the true sense
OF the word. Then another cent a pound Is
placed on the refined sugar. which goes to the
sugar trust The man in question therefore
pays Sltb0 a year to the government and
a $3.50 year to the sugar trust each year
for the privilege Of using sugar In this one
Item alone he pays sl,70 more as tax to the
government and the trust than the $50 re-
CURED of him by the State OF Virginia as q
poll tax.
The sugar trust has requited the benevo1enee
OF the Republican party by cheating the gov
eminent out of millions of dollars Of revenue
by watering Its stocks, by destroying competi-
tors Tne workingman in question says he viii
vote the Democratic ticket the next presidential
Observation-Disclosures Star.