Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1915-10-15
THE TAX PROBLEM.

~
~ the problem of taxation has been a knot
ty one, and IL has been the bone of contention in
many civil strife among the nations of the earth.
1t was while Joseph and Mary were on their way
to Jerusalem to be taxed that the Savior Of the
world was born and taxation without represen-
tation was one of the main factors in the war of
the Rebellion, resulting in the issuing of the Dec
laration of Independence. The question of tax
alton, also, was one of the catch problems with
which the Pharisees sought to entangle our Lord
during his ministry among the Jews, they knowing
full well that it was matter of much moment
and concern to all rulers 1t is calamity, in one
sense and necessary evil as well, and there is
no civilized country or people on the earth that
are free from it, 1t has been apty said that there
are only two things in this world that are unfail-
ing, and they are death and taxes.
1t is only natural that people should look with
dread upon taxes since this is payment of money
that is mercessly exacted and is unequivocally
demanded and enforced and for which there is
no apparent and visible compensation, in the opin-
ion of many people. For this reason they try to
avoid and resist taxation just as far as possible.
But is this the right and rational view to take of
the question? Let us consider it for few min
utes.
In the first place. why is taxation necessary
and what becomes of the money collected in the
form of taxes? Is it possible to conduct govern
ment of any kind without revenue? Are you, Mr.
Taxpayer willing to give your time and energy to
the public without compensation? We think not
And yet all the machinery of our various depart
ments of government must be kept up, unless we
wish to descend to an anarchical form OF govern
ment, with no protection to life or property. we
are agreed, then, that the revenue legitimately
used in conducting our municipal county, state
and general government is necessary. Now, what
other uses are made of the money collected from
the people as taxes? The largest portion of it,
by far goes to maintain our educational system
to build school houses supply apparatus OF var
ious kinds, and to compensate the teachers who
instruct our children and young people. Is this
necessary? We think this question does not adj
nit of argument particularly among Utahns, who
have shown by their actions that they appreciate
the Importance of education as the people of few
states in the Union appreciate it. And what else
is an important factor in the consumption of the
revenue derived from taxation? The next i'm
portant factor is the improvement and mainten-
ance of our highways. Perhaps here is a useless
expenditure. Maybe it would be better not to have
any regularly designated roads or highways but
let each individual select his own track through
the country and keep it in repair, avoiding the
expenditure Of public money in the maintenance
of the roads No, Oh second thought, we hardly
think that this would be any improvement for
the result would be that we would have no roads
fit to travel 1t would make the repairing of the
roads everybodys business and no one would do
it. These, then, represent the principal, and we
might almost say the only uses to which the mon
ey derived from taxation in this country is put,
and all appear to be quite necessary and to the
interest and advantage of the whole people.
If, then, taxation is in the interests of us all,
ought we not to be willing to bear our just pro-
portion of the burden, according to our ability to
paw, or the amount of our worldly possessions
And vet this is problem that taxes the ingenuity
of our ablest men the country over, to devise ana
enforce revenue laws which will compel all citi-
Gems and property owners to contribute their just
and equitable portion of this needed revenue
The last legislature of this state attempted to
revise our revenue law, and made some quite rad
zeal departures from the old law with the object
in view of distributing the burden of maintain
ing our government and public institutions more
eouitably among the property owners. They are
asking that each property owner be absolutely
honest and truthful in reporting his property and
have established maximum levy on all property
assessed at Is mills or one and one-half per cent
AS an incentive for as to be honest they have