The Coconino sun., 1924-10-10

A poor deluded satellite of some po-
slitical demigod said: 81 am opposed to
giving away the water power of the
Colorado to rich corporations" The
poor old "dog in the manger." The
cant use it himself, he hasn't dollar
ahead of his current expenses, and he
would rather let the great river, with
its millions of horsepower hours, go
racing into the Pacific unused, than to
let some one gather those horsepower
hours who could distribute their
energy that mankind might be bene-
fitted Think of all the idiotic egotism
and selfishness underlying that re-
mark Look at the caliber as we'll as
the financial and technical abilities of
politicians who make such speeches.
Most of them couldn't give meal to Il
sick canary. The only reason we elect
such fellows to office is to keep them
from starving to death, because they
can't make a living in the world on.
their own abilities. Is there one of
them whom you would hire to handle
a job rs big as that, if it was your
own money that was to pay them?
"Giye away? Don't you think that
a man, or a corporation" who would
dig down for a hundred million dollars
and spend it in equipment to put that
water and power in shape SO that man
kind might have its benefits, is pay
ing for it? Don't you think that
money is entitled to its earning ca
pacity, at a reasonable rate of interest
which is regulated by the interstate
commerce commission?
Tho ro1oao,a aI.aa ct9fp
and national, regulate rates so that
monopolies cannot charge you an ex-
cessiYe rate for the commodity. What
is the difference, anyway, if the gov
ernnent sells S100,000,000 worth of 4
per cent bonds The men who buy the
bonds get their interest just the same
as if they spent the S100,000,000 build
ing a plant that requires them to wait
five or six years before they begin
getting any interest. If they buy stock,
the income tax collector grabs the
greater part of it when they do make
it pay, and they also pay taxes on
500, 100000 worth of property. If they
buy bonds for government, state or
municipality to build it, the interest
on the bonds is S'taX exempt" and
500, 100000 worth of property pays
no taxes because it is government
property" and the tax rate on other
property is correspondingly higher to
cover the running expenses Of the
commonwealths. Wouldn't $100,000,-
900 worth of taxable property added
to the assessment roll bring down the
tax rate on the farmers and other tax
PAYERS? Who are the taxpayers2 The
men who buy the meat, the groceries
and clothing are the taxpayers, for
the merchants tax is added to the
purchase price of the article he sells.
You are the goat in every govern
ment construction of that kind.
have been accused of being against
government ownership. AS an engi-
neer on industrial economics, am
obliged to be, on account of incom-
potency and extravaganza of political
construction, on account of the burden
it puts upon the taxpayers directly
and indirectly-that's you--for no one
can escape, and on account of the Cod
given right of man to labor. 1t is not
right for the government to drive the
laborer out of business by unfair COM
petition where expenses are carried
by taxation, direct or indirect. Po-
litical management with all its prop
afty exempt from taxation, never has
been able to supply a commodity any
cheaper than the so-called private
corporations under efficient manage
ment, even with its property on the
assessment roll for taxation.
The government hasn't one dollar
for any purpose that it doesn't wiring
from the people by taxation, direct or
indirect, or hidden. The politicians are
deceiving you when they tell you diff
ferently.
The function Of the government is