The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-09-14

Editor Colfdx Chronicle:
Some of the great problems of the
present time have appeared on the pc.
litical horizon in the form of Constitu.
tional Amendments, one of which is OF
more Importance to the people of the
riral districts than any of the rest.
If Act No. by Mr.. Roberts, bill No.
IL, be adopted by the people Nov. 5th,
it means the loss to the schools of the
rural districts of all school tax on rail-
roads, telephones, telegraphs, and all
banks, oil wells, mines of all kinds,
gravel beds, sand bars and rock quar-
ries. And what is true of the schools
is also true of the good roads fund. By
vote for this amendment you say you
are willing that the railroads should be
released from taxation by the local au-
thorities and only subject to the Tax
Commission of three, appointed by the
Governor, the State Treasurer and the
State Auditor. You release the great
corporations of the State from being
subject to any local authorities in the
way of taxation. This is a matter you
should understand before you cast your
vote. However, if am not mistaken,
the more you read the document the
more confused you will become over
the thing, because if am able to digest
it and get at the real meaning, there
is deep laid scheme hid behind a very
carefully worded and well drawn plan
to deceive the people into voting to re-
lease from their right to tax all big
business of the nature outlined in this
new system of taxation.
As proof of this find that the plan
is that of one of the greatest corpora
ton attorneys Of the State, one who at
this time is the attorney for the sulphur
mines, and has suit against the State
for reduction of taxes in the interest
of the Sulphur Mine Co. He is attor-
ney for several oil companies and rail-
way companies. He was the chairman
of the Tax Commission that framed the
proposed Act, and this is an acknowledge
ed plan drawn by Mr.. Farrar. He has
the credit for framing this great pro-
posed system of taxation, having for
itSpurpose the taking from the people
the right to vote tax on railroads,
banks, oil companies and other big
business. This act is 30 cleverly word
ed we are expected to swallow it down
and then believe it acts well. There
are some good points mixed in the bill,
and our attention is specially directed
to those points, and then our attention
is directed to the bad points in our pres
emit system of taxation, and the dis
honesty of people in giving in their
taxes. We are told that this system
will correct all the evils in our present
system and work to the satisfaction of
all concerned.
To find out what property really is to
be included in this plan, we must ask
who would be able to call an election
for the purpose of voting a special tax
on property segrated to the State after
we have exhausted our constitutional
resources of levying taxes on our selves?
Can our police jury call an election for
this purpose? No, the Tax Commission
must order any election of this kind.
Then when we have voted away our
power entirely and become beggars,
after we have done all we can. we
must beg of the Tax Commission to |
permit US to vote any special tax they
may see fit to allow US to vote ON our
selves and the property segregated to
the State.
1t is clear to my mind, the owners of |
property segregated to the State have |
no objection to the proposed new sys-
tenn, because they will not be subject
to local taxation, and will have only |
three men to deal with, and they know !
very well that three men will be more |
easily handled than the different local
authorities through whose jurisdiction
the lines Of railways pass, and the
State will soon have revenue enough
to enable the taxes on property segre-
gated to be reduced. and the question
OF local taxation will be forever settled.
and all taxes on large business will be |
equalized and settled with no chance to
raise same without a constitutional
amendment.
n n u.,n