The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-09
Voice Of the People
The Tax Problem

10 the Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
Sir.-This seems to be an ago Of
with ,mnn. i, The public is confused
Win meaningless terms We speak OF
progressive Democrats when every
public, , utterance of President Wilson
people back to genuine, old time De-
equal rights for ali. the humblest stand and
VIII crush the widowed. the orphaned
ahu inarli oia age for the questionable
l'iH omarv is or or the many, many The reac
never Democrat. largely socioiistic
reiegattng the principles of govern,
ment handed down to us by wise men.
experienced by contact through
ages with :njustices. Inequalities and
l!rannies OF any and all forms OF gov
with this question of equalization of
laNes, confusing term. which, on last
hi nia,yiis, may be reduced to unjust and
the orphaned and helpless old age
, 1853 only source of existence may
limited in production to or 6 per
cent on capital involved, are placed
UPON, the same plane as the active.
taNnDie values, from which no has OPP
portunities to derive 20 or 20 per cent
IN IN. proht Yet the woman with Il fam
ny, her little income so seriously en-
cToached upon by taxation. is cited to
grTad adyantages to be derived. doomed
burning with thirst, though standin,.
waist deep IL limpid. refreshing water.
could . apply not one drop to his
pafcheu swollen tongue. But il may
De sara that cite an extreme and ex-
ceptional case. ] cite case as il uc-
to,, exists. Who can answer as
,imS 10 this fearful JuSgcrnaut of pub
nc Improvement? Democracy Is
i founded on principles Of Justice for
of the injustice of taxation is brought
n ..n, by the assumption on the part Of
&c =, err I'M of functions TO which ii
can raise no proper claim. This tendency
OF our times to open Pandora'S box of
gu the ills attendant upon Adams fall
Tor governmental cure: this tendency
to Introduce for government solution
sociological problems that should be
ieit 10 private individual enterprise
SSpccllii! in Il Christian land among Il
sponsibie for much of our Inequalities
OF oaNation That government is the
most conducive to the content and
happiness of It's people which will
ieaVe In the pockets OF individuals the
iarSesl amount OF money consistent
with due protection for life and prop
erty. You may safely rely on the in
stincts Of the people for dcvclopinent
OF virginia is capital with which to
make It's worn-out and depleted fields /
blossom as rose. To certain class
OF politicians any scheme of cqualiaa-
ton of taxes is acceptable that does
not mean any possible diminishing !
revenues Hence pegregation Of sub |
panacca. which may mean nothing !
apart from accentuating and cmpha- |
SIZING existing inequalities especially |
among the poorer counties / would !
regard more favorably = scheme by /
which the state could assume /
more complete control OF State-w.do
projects. for then we could ciinjnato
varying ana unequal rates oc taxation
among ulilerent counties: for then
'uiILnE, whose interest in the question
able advantage OF such projects cannon
be other than indirect, could derive
some satisfaction from the fact that
tncy can be taxed for them propOr-
tionatcly, no more nor less than every
other citizen of the State.
$. V. WATKINS