The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-23
Does the Issue That Caused the RevO-
%lutlOnary War Apply to the Case?

To THE EDITOR OF THE SrN-Sir: The
sweeping. all embracing proposition that
taxation without representation is
tyranny whatsoever may be its origin.
is founded upon either truth or error.
Upon which Of these two stones II rests
Is n question that has nothing to do
with the employment, in any given case.
Of taxes after they are collected.
II the English Government after rails
ing money from ire Colonies ny the i'm
position OF taxes had expended that
money for the benefit OF the Colonies the
basic issue that precip,tated the Revo-
lutionary war woul not have been
changed. our Revolutionary fathers
rested their case upon the simple N
tcntion that no legislative body has the
right 10 tax any special class. as such.
that is not represented In that body. n
the ultimate use made OF taxes uujustly
collected was IA detail that. though i'm
portant in itself. could in no way affect
the basic generalization.
Mary Ellen Roberts, In a letter to
THE SIN. admits that a small percentage
OF women are directly taxed in this
state. She should bear in mind that
taxation may be either direct or indi-
rect. Is there a woman in this Common
wealth who is not taxed indirectly >
THE vote Will not he given she says.
80 this s per cent, alone women taxed
DIRECTLY Il will be given to the re-
naming 20 per cent. women taxed In
directly as well among whom are the
ignorant. the allen, the vicious az well
as the vlrtuous.' II may he fair to re-
mark just here that among Us men, the
tax imposors ~ the state. are the ig-
nprant. the allen. the vicious as well as
tho v~irtuous.' But from us Miss
Roberts and her a~uti-suffrare sisters
are glad 10 receive. as she states, police
aud fire protection. good roads. good
schools"
That Is. they believe in relaxation
without representation, They aren't
Obliged 20 worry about budgets, deficits,
sinking funds and sinking ships of state.
They are she says, exempt from
jury and sentry duty What right have
We men. she asks. 10 force upon reluc-
TINT women the burden OF the suffrage.
annoying a sex the majority Of whom
are devoted 10 protection without ohl.ga-
ton, to the reception Of BENEFITS from
the State without tho payment OF n quid
pro quo" Mans inhumanity 10 man"
Is bad enough. Why do YOU contem-
plate. you men surragis,s. tho hiieous
wrong of thrust'ng upon anti-suffrage
women an obligation that might disturb
the even tenor Of thci- ways" might
force them at certain seasons Of the
year 10 take n more Or less active in
terest IN the really significant move
ments 81 their times. IN the political
issues upon the outcome ~ which de-
Ponds the welfare Of our institut'onso
II one woman In this state demanded
the suffrage upon the contention that
taxation without representation 's unjust
I would give II 10 her, The number OF
women who demand Justice from Ne
men voters is MOI s,cnincaut. The ono
Overwhelmingly Imperative necessity Is
for American men 10 stand nrmlv unon
the position taken hv their rorernthers
that No legislative body can. without ex-
crc'sing tyranny. tax any unrepresen,ol
class IN n given community.
FnwARD :. VAN ZIIr
Nrw YoRK Oc.oher &c