The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-11-19

could best be subserved by organ
izing into tribes; later on some of
them decided that their interests
could best be subserved by organ
izing into nations; others by organ
izing into empires, ETC., Thus as
We come down through the ages
we find various monarchies, repub-
lies and empires that have appeared
in tie various stages of the world
history. In our own land we find
our people, for certain purposes,
organized into cities, for other GER
tain purposes into states, and for
certain purposes into a nation,
Aud it is recognized principle
with us that, within the limits of
our state and national constitutions,
the will of the majority is suppos-
ed to prevail in all things.
Among other powers, our various
Legislative bodies are empowered
to impose taxes upon the citizens.
There taxes are levied for various
purposes that are supposed to be
for the welfare of the people. Some
of the tax, for instance, goes to
pay the expense of our public
schools, some to pay the expense
of cur police forces and our FIRE de-
dartments and for the lights that
illuminates our cities at night, etc.
Now suppose that when taxes
are due, citizen comes to the tax
collector and says 81 am not in
favor of public schools; l send my
children to private school and
pay for their educatir II, and l ask
you to deduct from my taxes that
portion that goes to pay for the
public schools. Another citizen
says: II an not in favor of electric
lights; l don't go out at night and
can get along without them, and l
ask you to deduct from my taxes
that portion that goes to pay for
electric lights. Another citizen
says: Il am not in favor of a po-
lice force; | am good citizen and
obey the laws and l don't need any
police, and | ask you to deduct
from my taxes that portion that
goes to pay for the police force, .
But TO all of these the tax collector
says: The majority, through the
city council or state Legislature,
whichever it might be, have de
cided that we must have these
things and have levied taxes ac-
cordingly. But" argue these
men, we don't favor these things
and to make us submit to some
thing we don want TO do is an in
fringement upon our personal lib
erty; and don't you know that this
personal liberty is a sacred thing
and far more important than any
object that the city, state or nation
aims to accomplish r" That is
the law" says the tax collector
and if you don't pay your taxes
we will have 10 sell your property
They all pay their taxes.
Now, if it is right for people to
organize as city, as state or as
nation, and the majority rule and
compel the minority to obey, l ask
in the name of reason what logical
argument can be advanced as to
why people should not be allowed
to organize as trade or craft and
the majority rule and compel the
minority to obey
l notice that John D. Rockefeller
Jr., claims that the plan which was
recently submitted to the employees
of the Colorado Fuel and Iron COM
pany, and which the employees
voluntarily" adopted, is Superior
to the trade union plant.
Without taking up your time to
give the reason why | do not agree
with Mr.. Rockefeller, let me say
that if there is anything In Rocke-
feller's plan that is beneficial to the
employees they can thank organized
labor for it and not Mr.. Rocke-
feller.
If organized labor had net made
the fight it did in Colorado, Mr..
Rockefeller would not have visited
the mines there and his pet plan
would never have been heard of.
Organized labor taught Mr.. Rocke-
feiler and his colleagues the lesson
that it costs just as much to keep