The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-02-24


liquidate Jonah.
For many days the good solons of
the state have been in session in Bis
marck and all their time has been
passed in CONCENTRATIONS of Jonah
and his doings. The solons appear
to have become hypnotized and like
.Bunyans Pilgrim to have fallen onto
enchanted ground where they can
move neither backward or forward.
And still the people look to their
solons for some relief from the rob-
Der taxes which have been levied dur
ing the past three years. Most peo-
pie do not like to be robbed. Under
the laws of 1919 the assessments and
taxes have been marked up to three
times that. of any former year. At
a special session of the solons in
1920, after the special election in
Towner county, the ? League solons
lacked only one senator Of having
a majority or two to one in each
house. Then there was a demand to-
reduce by 50fpercent the unjust taxes
of 1919, but there was only q reduc-
ton of rs percent from the state
taxes. The result Is that at the pres
ent session the League solons have
no majority.
Left ut Home.
Those who voted against proper
reduction Of taxes were left at home
to chew their cud and to eat grass
like an OK, the same thing as King
Nebuchadnezzar who saw the hand
writing on the wall when it was too
late. Now, if we clearly discern the
signs of the times, there is no need
of modern Daniel to read and in
terpret the present handwriting.
Clearly it portends that if the pres
ent solons 60 home without making
a genuine effort to cut down the rob-
Der taxes of 1919 and 1920, then,
many of the solons will be permitted
to remain at home and for two or
more seasons to eat grass like the
OK. y -
-: Points the Way. .
The way to remedy wrong is to
undo it; the way to reduce the un-
lust taxes is to cut them down III
accordance with bills presented to the
solons at the present session. Then
if our good governor and others stand
in the way of just reductions, there
is simple means aof recalling and
displacing them. By the constitution
the people have the initiative, the
referendum and the recall They have
power to make their own laws and to
recall and discharge their public ser
wants.
New Tangled Laws. ay
BY the constitution of North Da-
kota all property must be assessed
for taxation in the local district IN
which it is situated and all taxes
must be limited to small percent
of the assessed valuations. But in
? 1919 by the tax supervisors and the
state board of equalization, the local
assessments were boosted so the con-
stitutional limitations were evaded.
And then there was passed a set or
new tangled tax laws providing for
taxation of certain property without
any assessment. Thus, motor vehicle
taxes have been levied to the amount
of nearly million dollSrs year and
the money has been recklessly
squandered. And on certain business
industries, for accidental insurance,
of employees, there has been levied
a tax of nearly million dollars a
year, sum ten times the amount
necessary to pay the insurance. In
that way many have been driven out
Of business and out of the state, And
what is that but simple robbery in
the guise Of taxation? %
Tax on Pool Halls.
On the pool hall and theatre busi-
ness there has been levied tax of
over $4,000 year and only 25 per
cent of it has found its way into the
state treasury Then there is an IL
legal tax on lawyers They must pay
taxes on their property the same as
other people and at the same time,
pay for the privilege of living and
I trying to do business. Then there is
an illegal income tax. person VINO
pays tax on the assessed valuation
of all his property and gets little
income must pay tax on the income
and of course that is double taxation
A person having constitutional
right to live must have a right to
obtain the means of living-a right to
work, eat, drink and sleep without
paying tax. The tax system of 1919
= must pull down and send to grass
any person who stands for it. Ex-
cessive taxation is robbery and it has
always been the greatest curse OF
every state and nation. Surely there
is no reason why the people should
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