Askov American., 1933-11-16

points which l think should be incor-
porated in the policies of taxpayers
association in order to create and to
maintain popular interest in govern
mental affairs.
First, in order to have the setting
clear, l shall define briefly the citi-
zen's and the officials relation to
government, and to each other.
Second, l shall try to show that
which is of direct personal interest to
the citizen.
Third, l shall give a brief resume
of how this interest can be cultivated
and guided through a taxpayers as
sociation, by:
(a) using the dramatic or news
value of public activity;
(b) observing brevity and pointed
ness in stories and talks;
(c) assuring reliability and i'm
partiality of Information: by maintain
ing a neutral political position; and by
the Importance of adequate research
to develop facts.
Lastly, | shall outline some of the
methods employed by the Minnesota
Taxpayers Association to maintain
public interest.
Every Citizen Has Duties.
First of all, in creating and main
tanning popular interest in govern
mental functions, it is evident that
very often we overlook the most SIM
pie and most obvious things. Laws
are made by man, executed by man,
and they are intended to be for the
welfare of man. Government is an
institution of law and of men. Every
citizen has an equal duty to partici-
pate in the functioning of government:
some as elective officers; others as
the voters who elect these officials.
The private citizen may become a
public official tomorrow; the officer
today may be private citizen tomor-
row. The responsibility for good gov
ernment, therefore, is equally on the
servant and on the master. For in
America, the servant and the master
change places frequently, and both
classes are made up of the same
kind of human beings.
Laws represent the composite Opin-
ion of men. Whatever life there is
in law is breathed into it by the COM
mon consent of men. Where this COM
mon consent is lacking the law itself
degenerates into a dead letter" sta
tute.
Public Opinion Powerful.
1t is necessary, in order to enforce
laws, to have this common consent.
Here, then, we see that public opinion
has as great an effect in enforcing
or nullifying laws as has the public
official himself.
When a large percentage of people
hold the same opinion relative to
some contemporary public issue, very
often these people band together in
clubs or groups, or they organize
taxpayers associations. This is done in
order to make their desires and their
needs more conspicuous in the public
mind, and through the effect on pub
lie opinion generally, to achieve the
objective by gaining the support of
their elective public officials.
Taxpayers today realize that the
most effective force that ultimately
will bring reforms in our taxation
system is public opinion. Scientific
methods of taxation may be carefully
worked out by experts, better plans
may be designed than we have today,
but it is not likely that these will be
-effectual in revamping our assessing
and collecting and spending systtms
until the demand for these reforms
meets with favorable public reaction.
We see, therefore, that no matter
how desirable these things may be
from the standpoint of justice and eff
ficiency there must be back of them
the full weight of public support.
The second point then is to define:
What is the direct personal interest
of the citizen in public affairs?
The Personal Interest.
The average man is interested in
the federal government because he
knows that it provides certain consti-
tutional rights that give protection
to himself and his family, and his
property. he likes tO nave Keeling
of security in knowing that the gov
ernment is prepared to defend itself
against a foreign foe, and is able to
prevent instructions within it's own
borders.
He is interested in state and local
government because he is concerned
with the education of his children; he
requires highways and streets and
sidewalks. He has use for street
lighting, and sewerage and drainage
and waterworks. He desires an eff
ficient police system. He wants an
efficient set of records in the court
house because the legal right to his
property might depend upon their
safe-keeping.
While he recognizes the need for
all these services, he is finally in
terested in the cost of providing them.
because he pays great part of this
cost out of his own earnings.
If all the costs, however, could be
assessed against imports of foreign
goods the average man would not care
hon