The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-05-17
TAXATION

At every election whether National,
State or municipal, the people have the
opportunity and the power to determine
all Of the political questions that arise.
It's at the same time their duty to de-
termiue all questions honestly, intelli-
gently, and above all else i'll the inter
est of all the people
At the election to be held this fall,
there are many questions of great inter-
est to the people, and there never was
an election, so far as now indicated and
foreshadowed, which demanded more
serious consideration by the voters of all
parties, or more patriotic inspiration than
the election which takes place in No
vember of this year
But at the coming election the ques-
ton which overshadows all Others is the
question of taxation. This is very true,
as we have said Of all elections, but it is
especially true of the present National
election.
This question looms up now to a far
greater importance than in any National
election, and most certainly than in any
other National election held in this gen.
Grafton because the taxation Of the
people has become more oppressive
than it has ever been in the history
Of the country, and most certainly in the
history of this free government of the
people.
Not only has taxation become more
onerous and oppressive than the people
have ever known, but it is exaggerated
by the widest and most reckless extrav-
agances and waste of public money ever
known in this nation, in the State as well
as by municipal corporations.
The question of taxation is always, and
necessarily is the most important func-
{ ton OF our government, because it is
of vital importance, and reaches all
classes Of the people even when it is
general, equal and normal Under the
normal condition of affairs, the most i'm
. portant question is to keep the taxes as
low as:possible so as to be consistent
with good government, wise economy
and conservative and healthy progress.
But now we are confronted with the
, most abnormal condition of taxation ever
. known or suffered by the people of the
. United States. The government is be-
. ing conducted and has been for long
years on the theory of making money
, for a special and privileged class, and
. the taxes are increased in order to main
: tain these conditions from time to time,
. as the Republican party thinks it neceS-
I SarY to maintain the interests of the
: favored money classes. If at any time
there has been any danger of surplus.
which would appear to threaten the
scheme of money making, they have at
once resorted to some scheme by which
all possibility of a surplus was made i'm
possible.
This has been carried to a point
where it has become a burden to the
igreat body of the people to obtain the
enecessaries of life. Even now when the
burdens of taxation are pressing so heav-
lily upon the great masses of the people, !
the Congress of the United States has
Ipassed bill increasing the enormous
Pension Bill by some fifty millions of |
dollars year. But more than that the
President signed it as soon as it reached
Thin.
| The pensions we're already high
5enough TO crafty any reasonable consid-
Grafton to the pensioners let alone to the
Taxpayers, who have The pensions to pay.
This was bad government to increase
the pensions at time when many mil
lions of people can scarcely buy the ne
Icessities of life
1 But in addition we see the govern
sment both of the State and the nation.
Increasing salaries and creating com.
Emissions all Of which greatly increase the
expenditures, and consequently taxation.
but it is not only increasing taxation, but
Encreases the completely of the govern
mental machinery which should always
! be as simple as it is possible to make it.
In addition to this it tends in the direc-