Montana labor news., 1932-09-22
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VOTERS OF RIGHTS
CONTINUED from Page One)


American system Of government. 1t
is an a~bominable infringement upon
the rights of man. A universal adop-
ton of it throughout the nation will
be a stepping stone to Aristocracy,
decay and disorder. 1t is impossible
for a man to be a good citizen I'M
less he is given equal voice with
his fellow mar in all matters which
concern him and his. Questions
which concern the creation of debts,
levies and liabilities concern all citi-
zens, irrespective of whether their
name appears on the last completed
assessment roll or not. A person
whose nam appears on this assess
ment roll has not any more rights
to vote on such questions than one
whose name does not. The class
whose name is on this roll pay only
such taxes which they are able to
collect from the general public in
some way or other. For instance,
Mr.. Brown is maintaining a grocery
store, he sells his groceries to the
public at a certain price, in this
price is included the price which
Mr.. Brown has paid for the goods,
the rent, light, labor and the taxes.
Mr.. Doe owns the corner building
and his name is on the assessment
roll; in the price he fixes for the
rental of it there is included the
taxes which he pays. The purchaser
of goods and the tenants of buildings
are the real taxpayers because it is
out of the money which they pay
for the use of the structure and the
goods they onsum that the taxes
are paid.
There are more important points
for consideration-for instance, the
public schools and the defense Of
the state. Suppose a state Of wan
exists and it will become necessary
for submitting to the electors under
the constitution the question Of a
levy for some important purpose
necessary for the defense Of the
state, and it should be only those
whose names appear on the assess
ment roll that would have the right
to vote on the measure, while
thousands Of citizens are conscripted
and are performing services in the
defense of the state; then how can
it be expected that such as whose
names do not appear on the assess
ment roll should have the proper
devotion towards the state and that
they should make the supreme sacri-
flee if necessary by being killed on
the field of battle.
The education of children is as
important to the well being of the
state as any other function. Those
whose names do not appear on the
assessment roll may have as many
children requiring education as the
class that does. The maintenance of
the schools may require the sub
mission of the question of a levy,
liability or debt to the electors. If
this amendment to the constitution
were adopted, then, and in such
event, the maintenance of the pub
lie schools would be at the mercy
of the class whose names appear
on the assessment roll.
There are no fundamental prin-
ciples Of right reason in favor of
this amendment. If the amendment
was sound in principle then why
should not the person whose name
appears on the assessment roll and
pays ten thousand dollars in taxes
be not given and allowed the right
to cast one hundred more votes than
the person who pays only ten dollars.
Why should not a person be allowed
to vote in proportion to the amount
he pays?
The eventual result can only be
to give the control of the state to a
few people who are only interested
in keeping and increasing their
wealth; to destroy the interest and
common bond which tends to hold
the state together, and bring about
a dissatisfied ~citizenry, placing one
class in a condition of hatred against
another.
The sponsors of this amendment
have not sense enough to see that,
in the long run, the only solid basis
for a state is a contented people
and that the surest way to make
them contented is to keep them part
ners in government instead of mere
slaves and hirelings.
(The legislature has passed "a law
which is now on the statutes depriv-
ing those whose names do not APP
pear on the assessment roll from
voting on the questions of levies,
debts and liabilities. Under the great
weight of authorities this law is