South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-04

OuueE mat there Is ulSSa tlSTdCtlon D
ana unrest when bolshevism is fos-
tered and cajoled by such high in
tucnce in this state Good citizens
and all men OF right principles ac-
cept these impositions because they
must IL is the law and they are
law abiding They calmly wait un-
tl there is opportunity 10 rectify
but. do you wonder that there are
minds that choose the club that is
nearest 20 right a great wrong? ri
say 10 YOU that the power that COM
nutted the injustices embodied in
the tax law, passed by the last leg
islature. s. the greatest evidence OF
hOlshevism that we have yet expert
clced in this state. and so long as
tho voters give power 70 a party.
whose chairman relies upon deals
with interests, just so long may we
expect mutterings Of discomfort
among those who are rapidly con
clucing that laws are the tools that
capital uses 20 bolshevik the public.
True II is, the total of the taxes
20 be collected will not exceed what
has been collected the year previous
un6er the old law But. understand
the banks are taxed or their capt.
tal.zatiOn and that is no greater
next year than now. The per cent Of
tsNation is supposed to be reduced
cne-haf. That means that the banks
Will pay half what they paid this
year. The same will be true with
an corporations. But the owners of
city property and the owners OF
ferms will pay on valuation about
two ana "a half times what il was
this year. This has but one mean
ing. The corporate concerns will
escape half the taxes they have been
| paying and ether property will be
obliged TO pay it for them.
Married WOman's Protection Gone.
Prior to the last legislature we
had a law in this state that safe
guarded the homes in that the note
OF a married woman was uncollect-
able Every legislature for 80 years
/ has been asked to repeal that law
at the instigation of money lenders.
/ but IL has always failed until the
legislature OF 1919, dominated by
] The dollar, got d whack at H.
The property of those, unsOphis-
/ ticated in business transac tions. is
row at the mercy Of the money
lender-and many little home will
80 because there is "A law that en-
| ables the lender TO take less
! cha noes. Many will ask why safe
guard by law the trained business
man and leave helpless the weaker
/ sex whose thoughts necessarily are
upon other matters than business.
/ She should have her acts and bust
Tcss judgment safeguarded by law.
/ but the 1919 legislature chose 10
\ place the safeguards about those
| fully competent TO safeguard them
selves.
Refused Blue Sky Law.
That legislature had opportunity
! 10 render some real service to the
J public but il turned il down IL is
common knowledge that Indiana is
the one fertile field for parasites. A
/ blue sky law was needed and de-
manded but the 1919 legislature
was actuated by influences antagon-
istio TO the general public. The boil
, shevik plumber ideas was as appar-
EFT in the defeat of meritorious bills
as they were in the passage of meas
Tres that the lobbyists espoused
These are acts that breed dis
content and are as bolshevik in gen
eral intent as the counter acts Of
| those. who resort TO brutal express
sion
Commissions and Usurpation.
But the great danger, my friends.
| comes from taking authority away
/ from the individual localities and
| the giving of that power into the
| hands of commissions "a t the state
] capitol. Think of IT, A little body
OF five men has the ultimate say as
TO what portion Of the tax burden
the corporations and the utilities Of
the state must bear and what the
individual property owners must
pay.
We are inclined TO credit men
big enough for such jobs with being
honest, but there are those in the
stratas OF society who maintain that
| human nature is the same in man
wherever you find him. SeIhshness
Is human instinct. A man may be
too highminded 10 accept money as
a bribe, but how different is con-
science affected when he is assured
advancement along political lines by
institutions. calling for partially
co1sideratiOn. which institutions he
/ knows to have the force 20 make
good with influence
And. if authority behind a com
mission has personal interest in
utilities and corporations, there are
those who feel that a commission is
likely to apply the soft pedal. and
I'm doins this do you wonder that
there are men at the plows and at
the forge who feel that delegated
Authority is more burdensome TO
them than local self government
The trend Of thought on the
part Of those in authority in this
State is toward usurpation and cen
tralization of power Big interests
have encouraged this idea OF gov
eminent and our politicians like
h.cS have been seeking a roosting
place on the band wagon.
'I see in this trend OF thought the
germ OF bolshevism. Il plumbers by
] a. frfvtr n Ia