Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1912-11-07
OPEN LETTER.
OFEN he En-
Frankfort and Covlngton, KY,
notobar o1ct 1910

October 31st, 1912.
To His Excellency, Governor James B.
McCreary; to all Administrative and
Legislative officers of the State and
to all citizens of the Commonwealth
who are interested in equal and uni.
form taxation:
"Tell my friends to be brave and
fearless and loyal to the great com.
mon people"
These last words of my assassinated
brother, William Goebel, have sacred
significance to me and when in Sep
tember, 1909, | again commenced to
take an active interest in our States
affairA Il was not to gain political ia.
vor, Tor there is no Office | would
have; but it was with hope and con-
fidence that my work would, during
the administration Of the present. state
officers, open up an opportunity for
Kentucky to take up William Goebels
work where the assassin's bullet had
interrupted it, and in that event every
department Of our government would
give thereto by voice and action most
positive, vigorous and loyal support.
Relief Must Come.
Necessity for action in the interest
of the people has grown as years have
passed until 1t has developed into what
is to-day crying shame and from
which relief must come.
Too long, altogether too long, has
there been unjust discrimination
against the people, unjust and burden
some taxation upon the people, as
compared with what has been required
to be paid by the big corporations Of
our State. Corporation lawyers have
boastingly said the death Of William
Goebel was a benefit to the corpora.
tions. II this was true, the question
is, how much longer shall the people
be held in bondage because OF his
death?
God knows the corporations now
suing the State have been able to pro
cure (and the word procure is used
advisedly) immunity long enough from
paying their just share of the taxes.
A hundred million dollar increase
In the value of corporation property
for taxation opens new era in the
States affairs, and has awakened tho
people, and brought them to realiza
tion of what has been done to them
and there will be further awaken
ing, which will correct abuses equally
as great as unequal taxation. A true
awakening Of the people has come
and henceforth every man who woulG
q hold Office must be progressive, anC
4 no imitation will satisfy them; the!
will sweep aside and into oblivion al
old chan any man who hesitates O
! dares stand in the way of bettermen
\ of conditions and Improvement in ev
cry way for the whole people.
! Gross Differentiation.
! No one doubts, had william Goo
bel been permitted to live, that whicl
was done last month by the Board o
! Valuation and Assessment would hav
! been done more than decade age
! and to-day, instead of the large col
porations lighting in the courts an
by sinister methods, endeavoring
perpetuate unjust and unequal taxI
tion, to throttle the action Of thi
State Taxing Board, the hrst to act fu
ly In the interest Of the people, the
would long ago have been paying Int
. the State, county and city treasure
their just proportion of taxes.
!" 1t is very evident that In Ke
l. lucky, as in other States, big corpor
,, tlons will never pay a cent more
:. taxes than they are made to pay.
Take the case of the c. 4 o. r.
'e In 1911 this road, on Its entire sy
TEN in Kentucky, paid taxes on I
tai valuation of only $9,S1S,270, wheI
h.. as the street railway company Of Il
city Of Louisville was made to pay
Is valuation of S1O,SOOOOO. The c.
Oh o. r. r. in 1901 paid taxes on fra
ID chise valuation of only $2,171,1 ,1S9, a,
e. IN 1911 on q valuation of only $2,74