The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-03-09
To the Editor of the Midland

| Journal
I have very briefly pointed out
that the people of the City of Balti-
more are scourged, as it were with
whips Of scorpions, through the mis-
use of powers of taxation, through
turning over for private exploitation
public rights and franchises, and
through delivering Government into
| the hands of machines which con-
duct it primarily in their own inter-
ests. Because Baltimore is siu-
ner in these respects to a degree
greater than any progressive city in
the United States, because the citi-
zens of Baltimore to an extent be-
yond those of any other part of
Maryland display the unconscious
cruelty of great wealth, let it not be
thought that the counties are guilt
less. Their offenses against the well
being of their citizens are in the
matter of taxation-and this is the
best that can be said for them-not
greater or different from those of
practically all other counties in the
United States.
Taxation furnishes the life-blood
of government. It has been said
that all the great battles for liberty
have been fought over it. Certain
it is that the struggles to do away
with the feudal system were efforts
to deprive great lords of their
powers of taxation, though not al
ways so described. The English
revolution of 1910, was contest on
the part of the Commons to control
taxation. The American revolution
was primarily based upon the fight
of the Taxpayer to determine his
own taxes. The French revolution
was fight against enforced taxes.
The Spring of action in the move
mont of mankind toward higher
civilization for several hundred
years past, had had little basis other
than the question of taxation. AMI
withal we have not yet advanced
much beyond carelessly following
the dictum of the French minister
who said that the Science of tax
alton seemed to be to pluck from the
goose the largest amount of feathers
with the least amount Of squawk
ing"
In some parts of the Union the
industrious goose has commenced to
squawk about the needless robberies
of feathers, but has hardly peeped
in Maryland. Baltimore kisses the
hand that plucks and the counties
generally do not know that they are
robbed. A mere discussion of pos
sible evils in taxation afflicts many
Of their citizens.
Consider for moment the asso
citation between liberty and local
taxation. Liberty means something
more than the right to put slip of
paper in the ballot box. 1t means
the unobstructed right to own one s
self, to put ones faculties to their
best use, to create, to build, to manu-
facture, to set nature at work ac-
cording to ones will, without let or
hindrance at any point. ut also
means of course freedom of speech
and of the press, freedom of move
ment and right to think whatever
one will, whether it be pleasing to
the majority or not.) If l am right,
let us see whether we have liberty
| in Maryland in state or county.
If desire to make purchase OF
merchant or lumber dealer, / may
not do so until he has paid large
taxes upon his stock in trade and oft
times licenses for the privilege to do
business. My free right to trade
with him in respects that might be
useful to me and beneficial to him is
checked. His right to buy and to
sell, as natural as is that of breath
| ing and as essential to his liberty,
is hampered and almost destroyed
in many cases. He would like to
do thing advantageous to the COM
munity and to himself, and the COM
munity compels him to pay for the
right as if it were a privilege.
If having completed my purchas-
es from the merchant or lumber
man take the things so bought and
frame themfnto the form of house,
my taxes are increased not once but
for as many years as the house may
stand. Protection against the win
ter's cold Ind the summers heat