The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-03-04

they voluntarily assess upon them
selves through the action of their
own representatives. Whenever tax
es become burdensome a remedy can
be applied by the people; but if they
do not act for themselves, no one
can be very successful in acting for
them.
Tax Reform
"The time is arriving when we can
have further tax reduction, when,
unless we wish to hamper the peo-
pie in their right to earn a living, we
must have tax reform. The method
Of raising revenue ought not to i'm
pcde the transaction of business; it
ought to encourage it. / am opposed
to extremely high rates, because they
produce little or no revenue, because
they are bad for the country, and,
finally, because they are wrong. We
can not finance the country, we can
not improve social conditions,
through any system of injustice, even
if we attempt to inflict it upon the
rich. Those who suffer the most
harm will be the poor. This coun-
try believes in prosperity. 1t is alb
surd to suppose that it is envious
Of those who are already prosperous.
The wise and correct course to fol-
low in taxation and all other eco
nomic legislation is not to destroy
those who have already secured sue
cess but to create conditions under
which every one will have a better
chance to be successful. The verdict
of the country has been given on
this question. That verdict stands.
We shall do we'll to heed it.
"These questions involve moral is
sues. We need not concern our
selves much about the rights of pro-
perty if we will faithfully observe
the rights of persons. Under our
institutions their rights are supreme.
1t is not property but the right to
hold property, both great and small,
which our Constitution guarantees.
All owners of property are charged
with service. These rights and
duties have been revealed, through
the conscience of society, to have a
divine sanction. The very stability
Of our society rests upon production
and conservation. For individuals
or for governments to waste and
squander their resources is to deny
these rights and disregard these OBJ
legations. The result of economic
dissipation NO a nation is always
moral decay.
"These policies of better interna-
tonal understandings, greater econ
omy, and lower taxes have contrbu-
ted largely to peaceful and prosper
Gus industrial relations. Under the
helpful influences of restrictive i'm
migration and protective tariff,
employment is plentiful, the rate of
pay is high, and wage earners are
in state of contentment seldom be-
fore seen. Our transportation sys-
TENS have been gradually recover
ing and have been able to meet all
the requirements Of the service.
Agriculture has been very slow in
reviving, but the price of cereals at
last indicates that the day Of its
deliverance is at hand.
I'VE are not without our problems,
but our most important problem is
not to secure new advantages but. to
maintain those which we, already
possess. Our system of government
made up of three separate and in
dependent departments, our divided
sovereignty composed Of Nation and
State, the matchless wisdom. that is,
enshrined in our Constitution, all
these need constant effort and tire
less vigilance for their protection
and support.
- First Rule
"In republic the first rule for
the guidance of the citizen lis pbed-
fence to law. Under despotism the
law. may be imposed upon the sub
jcct. He has no voice in its max