The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-11-03
CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT is
A VICIOUS IDEA
Reversal of Form to Medieval Times
and Feudalistic lnstitutions-Peo-
pie Must Act to Save Their
Liberties Today
BY JAMES E. BRADFORD


Progressive Candidate for Governor
l shall discuss in this article the
amendment to section l, of article 6
OF the state constitution. 1t rovides,
in substance, that no person can vote
on any question "to incur or not to
incur any debt or obligation, or to bor
row money or issue any bond or obi
cation, or to ratify or validate any
debt, bond or obligation, or to author
ize the purchase, sale, mortgage or
pledge of property, revenue or in
come" unless at the date of his regis
tration such voter owns property
upon the tax rolls" and pays taxes
thereon. The amendment is based on
that persons without property pay no
taxes; that only those who own prop
erty pay taxes. Who really pays taxes
anyway? A little reflection will show
such fallacy. You go to Jones' store
or into the market anywhere and buy
bread boots or any of the necessaries
or luXuries of life and pay the retail
cost price. You pay no taxes because
you own no property? Don't you know
that each purchase you make you help
pay Jones' taxes? That among other
things that determine the retail price
of everything you buy are the wages
to his help, insurance, repairs and
taxes? In his business and bookkeep-
ha ha tbo
operating expenses of his business,
and his patrons pay these taxes and
other expenses in carrying on Jones'
business. When you pay cents to
car company to ride, you help pay all
its taxes; as a matter Of fact, such
patrons, whether they own property
or not, pay the taxes of the store
keeper and car company. You rent a
building and the amount of the rent
is determined by the sum of insur-
ance, taxes and so forth that the owner
pays. He pays the taxes nominally,
but you indirectly and actually pay
them.
Cannot Help Yourself
GU are UldTTleu anu nave d vile
and six children, and are interested
in their health, but under this amend
ment, if you have committed the crime
of being poor, you cannot even vote
to incur any debt or to purchase any
property, to put in pure water or
sewerage system to protect the health
of your own family against the awful
scourge of disease, which comes from
bad water and sewerage systems You
must sit idly by, clinging to the old
hag of poverty and pay the taxes
of the rich landlord, or the car COM
pany, while they ride about in their
seven-passenger auto, and on election
day they vote against wholesome i'm
provements ito keep taxes down.!
How do you like the picture? 1t is
not overdrawn.
A Relic of Feudalism
This amendment smells medieval,
when the feudal system and aristoc-
racy flourished. In the dim past prop
erty restrictions upon the right to
vote were common. The aristocracy
of wealth and property owned by the
few favored it, just as the big owners
of wealth and the capitalistic rings
now favor it. This amendment is a
crippled chick, hatched from the egg
or corporate greed and wealth. It's
adoption would turn the hands of
progress back 200 years The labor
ing classes must continue to produce
the wealth of the world owned or con-
troled by those who favor this amend
ment; they must always respond to
the bugle blast and fight the battles
OF the world, and upon the return OF
those who survive pay the heavy
taxes and cost of wars. But despite
the performance of all these and other
duties. they must be denied the right
TO- vote on those things which mean
p the most to them-on all such ques
tions their overlords and the aristoc
racy of property will represent them!
If Won desire to retain the full righ
to vote you must rally all your forces
and batter this amendment down tt
defeat Support those for public OF
flee who are battling for you an'
vour rights. The last republican leg
( islature adopted and submitted thi
amendment and Governor Lister di'
- not protest. The state republican
platform endorses it, and republica
candidates are running on that pla
form.
Vote against it.