Evening journal., 1912-02-24
UNSEEN IS THE WORST
BY John S. Hamilton.

When man has fairly solved the
problem of taxation he will at the
same time have for himself the full
capacity for self-government. Some
one has said that man is sure of only
two things, death and taxes. and this
saying by some incongruous method
of thought, it appears, has come to be
regarded as a joke. There is certain
ly nothing about death to provoke
smile, and surrey if men understood
how they are enslayed and oppressed
by the tax gatherer IL would not be
provocative Of merriment by any
means.
William Pitt. who afterwards be-
came the Earl of Chatham, and who
will be gratefully remembered as the
firm and devoted friend of the AmeIi-
can co.onies while the revolutionary
war was impending and in progress,
said in one Of the addresses which he
made demanding justice for the
colonies that if { law were passed
raising the legal rate Of interest one
per cent. II would inevitably precipi-
tate a revolution because the people
would realize that the increase in the
rate Of interest was imposing a bur-
densome tax upon them. II would be
possible, however, Mr.. Pitt said, to
impose upon the people a very much
more opp esslve burden by taxing
large number articles which the
people used. The suffering which
came from this imposition, he said,
would be sure. but the people would
talk about bad times and attribute
their troubles to everything but the
real cause which was the tax which
so ingeniously and cuDningly had
been laid upon those articles which
they were compelled to pay for.
The conditions spoken about by the
great English statesman are precis ely
the conditions which exist in this
country today, although ii is impos-
sible that even William Pitt, great
man though he was, could have even
dreamed of the mischievous extent to
which the possibilities he suggested
could be carried. Everybody knows
how difficult and how delicate a sub
iect it is to even suggest an increase
Of the tax rate in a city like WI
mington. IL is the hobgoblin of the
taxpayer. This is because city taxes
are direct taxes and the people see
always before their eyes what they
are paying, therefore they hold the
government, which is really the tax
collector. responsible and the tax
collector does not wish to assume tho
responsibility for an increase.
There is, however, another kind of
tax and this is an indirect tax which
falls not always alike on everybody
and while all certainly feel II only a
growing few at this time appear To
understand what it really means. This
species of tax which sometime will be
] recognized as the most sinister enemy
! of free government. is allowed If it is
not imposed at this time, by the gov
ernment Of the nation. state or city, as
the case may be. The subject IS toe
big to go fully into here, but per.
haps some people would get a faii
idea of Whit is meant by an Illus.
tration. which all should be able tC
understand. The writer has been in.
70 med by man who should know
that railway such as those which
operate in the city or Wilmington a
this time can be built and equipped
for $4,000 the mile Thu il will b,
seen thst tlirty m les Of railw y coult
be b~il' a equipped for less tran
81 000 600. An income efte all as
on b and nee 7ssary allowar ces
therefore, of 100000 a year wouit
yield a fair dividend on the actua
cost of th 30 mills Of railwav. ru
SUPPOSE this a'lwav collect from thi
peo-le $3.50 600 a year affe ! as
enable and necessary allowances arl
m de. or even twica that much viii
it require a great deal Of honest intel
b ligerce to come to conclusion that tn
diffe ence between what is a fair re
turn on the real money value Of thi
railway and what they are collecting
tax and a tax which has not tn
virtue Of contributing to the main
; tenance and the upbuilding Of tn
community, but It is tax that is un
! justly taken out Of the taxpayer an
| the citizens pockets and put in tn
p pockets of private individuals an
inte ests. And let it be remembered
also that this tax is only made ros
. sible by the connivance or acquies
cence of your government: remember
the writer says, your government
which not only has the right but tn
responsibility to see always that sucl
, injustice ceases. And remember
again, that If they do not act in tn
matter it Is due TO the fact that yo
are lax in your Obligation to your
E self and your family by not looking
into such matters and insisting upo
having Legislators and laws that vii
T make it impossible for there to b
1 any tax gatherer other than the legal
: ly quilted tax collector who is an at
y tache of your government and whor
you eith7r dir city or indirectly hel
! to elect. DO not forget that what IN
! plies to reilwav arplys also to ga
I. compan'e-. q ct-ic companies and al
y other public utilities.
z A WARNING AGAINST WET FEE
t Wet and chilled feet usually affe
the mucous membrane of the nos
l. throat and lungs and la gripue. brOl