Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-05-03

taxation is necessity to civilization.
The more civilized we become, the
more taxes will be required.
'The luxuries of today are the
necessities of tomorrow" History is
constantly verifying this statement.
When table forks were first intro
duced the people laughed heartily at
the mobility who ate with metal
prongs." But today forks have be-
come a necessity even among the
uncultured. At one time carpets
were considered luxuries, and baths
and lights We're even more luXuries.
The fellow that could afford three or
extravagant, and if one wanted
real big time, they lit hundred can
dies at once; now one electric sign
on our streets, would shame a thou
sand candles; and every one can af
ford some kind of light. The luXur
les of the past kings, are now in pos
ession of the common people. At one
time Education was considered lux
ury; now it is free to every child in
America, and in many instances the
child's parents are punished if they
do not permit it to have this great
necessity
Our grandparents considered music
a luxury; often species of matrimo-
nial bait, designed to aid the charm
of young ladies in quest of soul
mate. The piano signified social
caste more than culture. If any one
in the house died, the piano was
sealed up for a certain period; in
cred as desecration to the memory
of the dead Music once a luxury
has become a necessity. We need it
in the city especially, where they live
in iron, cement or stone caves, away
from Nature Most of the things
that are beautiful and fascination in
Nature are outside Of the city. Birds
fly high over the city to keep away
from the smoke, gasoline and other
unnatural odors. Yet the city is a
necessity, and music goes a great
ways in making it pleasing and com
Portable. A furnace in the house was
considered luxury, only for the
rich; but now we all feel that the
furnace is the cheapest thing on the
farm or in our village homes. Our
desires were but few, in the past,
and consequently our taxes were lwo
We get along with poor roads, log
school houses, a tallow candle and
an open fireplace; but today our
children want something better, and
it costs us more money for the many
things that our forefathers consider
ed luxuries. We are not satisfied
today unless we have the best in the
market, and we are entitled to it. SO
long as we get a dollars worth for
every dollar expended, we will not
complain.
We will be willing to spend more
money each year for the comforts OF
life and the things that make us
happy, and we are going to see that
the money is expended judiciously
and honestly.
So long as our system calls
for the taxation Of property, so long
will it require assessors to value that
property. The assessment is the foun-
dation of all taxation How impor-
tant it is that the foundation we
built right, by placing all taxable
property OH the roll and at full cash
value.
In early days free men did not pay
taxes. To pay taxes was a sign OF
subjugation. Only conquered nations
and vanquished tribes had to pay
tribute to some king or conqueror. In
old times ruling classes and nations
paid no tax or tribute of any kind,
but they were in the habit of exact
ing tribute from others. This was
in ancient civilization.
In the middle ages the Barons,
knights, Bishops, Abbots and the
rulers of the Church were free from
all taxation; the serfs and traders
paid all the taxes. The Clergy re-
ceived a tenth of everything-the so
called "tithes" The Nobility took
even more In Germany and Italy
the nobility was in the habit of
building castles beside the highways
or rivers, and exacting as much toll
:'as the traffic would bear" and often
more Today, to pay taxes has be-
come a part of civilization and a
badge of honor. Only the Indirect