The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1920-10-29
ny G. y. STRAIN.

Tho near approach ~ the Noyeinbc
election forces upon tho attention o
all thoughtful cillEens "a consideration
Of our public affairn.
Officials are about 10 be chosen foI
periods Of two. four and Hix years. aud
these officials will exercise a lromcnd,
GUS Influence over our lives and for.
tunes,
II IN directly through public officers
that governments funetion. aud every.
thing that each and all of ua poHaons
may be taken by government FOR pub.
iic nke. Only recently tbs govern.
ncnta OF tho world called into their
armies some fifty million men and
levied upon tho fortunes and incomes
Of nearly tho whole OF civilization for
tho equipment and maintenance OF
thohe armies.
Ton million Of tho men then called
TO arms were Lost IN tho wHr and an.
other ten million or so. were more or
leaa incapactatcd for lfe.
400 billion Debt.
An aggregate public debt at two
hundred billion doliarH waA piled M
against future generations and billions
.
ihtiicted upon tho private property OF
the world including property OF hou-
trai nations.
Even here In this hand Of liberty
where the rights OF the individual are
made inyiolate IN times Of peace nn-
der guarantee of the federal constllu-
ton, the strong arm Of ,he law under
national necessity reached out through
tha draft and picked np millions of our
own young manhood and set them
down IN tho training campo. Hubso-
auentiy to bc transported 10 the bat
tie fronts Of Europe, nil regardless OF
their consent or approval,
The same authority which con
scripted tho young manhood ~ this
country Into mighty. cDnauarinE mil. |
itary force during ist7-tsta. laid "A 1
heavy hand In tho form of taxation |
and bonded debt upon the current In |
comes and tho future wealth o. the ma.
ton.
our government begins right al |
homo and extends up through the |
county. tho state and the United /
States. and there liz nxaetcd through It |
all toll of taxation which In normal
times reaches total In excess OF any /
private business, and Ia time ot war |
has no limit except the aggregate
credit and income of tho whole peo-
pie.
THO power thus 10 dispose of our
lives and fortunes a lodged In tho Of
ficea about 10 be filled In November by
officials then 10 be chosen by our
selvea. As II means of expressing tho
financial relation OF government To
this community II may he stated that
last year there was levied si9T,000 20
run tho eleven Incorporated towns of
the county, while our school districts
levied $685. 900. and there was lcvlad
within the county for all local and
state pprposas total Of sl2s9. 900.
The ievies cling made this year are still
higher than those of last year.
The federal government at Wash
ington levied and collected last year /
nearly five billion dollars and uma
tiila county's share OF this five billion
Ii not less than 1880 900. Five bill
lion dollars In enough 10 pay for. at
normal prices, all OF tho wheat that
is grown In Amaroa for n period Of ten i,
years. Eighty per cent Of this Is due
to war.
Not only does government have the
power TO exact OF tho individual his
life and property. but II has the power
TO impose conditions profoundly af-
footing tho morals OF the people and
tho distribution Of property among