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The Commoner.
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JUNE 7, 1912
the rates of state and local taxation aro to bo
removed after January 1, 1914.
By a separate amendment, to bo voted on at
tho samo election, the state board of equaliza
tion is abolished. A state tax commission of
greater power Is to take its place.
Tho quite universally condemned system of
taxation now prevailing in Missouri affdrds pos
sibly the strongest argument for the proposed
radical change.
Except among enthusiasts it is recognized
that no system of taxation is perfect. The
general principle which commends tho pending
amendment (not only in contrast with the bad
present system but affirmatively for itself) is
this: -It exempts industry and the fruits of in
dustry from taxation.
It has been pointed out that at a time when
Kansas City is not collecting enough revenue, to
meet its necessary expenses, values far more
than sufficient to meet tho deficits aro each year
added to lands and franchises by the mere
growth of the city.
Against this argument it Is urged that there
are other "unearned increments" than social
land values, and that it would not be fair to put
all the burden of state and local government
on those who invest their savings in land.
As far as the practical working out of the
plan can be foreseen it would seem that the
adoption of the amendment would attract in
vestors and homeseekers to Missouri and to Mis
souri cities. The experience of Vancouver,
British Columbia, is the most notable in indi
cating a. stimulus to industry and to general
growth and prosperity in exempting "movable
property" from taxation and taxing only "im
movable property."
As affecting the state at large, of course,
much would depend upon whether one looked
only to the immediate tax bill or to the general
effect upon his income of stimulating industry,
increasing population and building up surround
ing markets. There seem to be no satisfactory
general -statistics showing whether the exemp
tion of taxes on personal property and on im
provements of land and the abolition of poll
taxes would offset the higher assessment of
farm land values for taxation. It is certain,
however, that the speculative land values
those depending on the energy of others than
the owners attach chiefly to city land.
A necessarily brief statement can not reach
all phases of the subject. This attempt has
been to state the chief facts and to indicate the
general drift of argument around the principles
involved. -
Practical Tariff Talks
An interesting question is presented by tho
practical certainty that the next congress, no
matter which party controls, will have as its
principal task the construction of another tariff
bill. That question is, will the republicans give
any more heed to the findings and reports of
the tariff board they created than they did to
the testimony of witnesses at committee hear
ings or the facts presented to them by such
eminent authorities as Senators Dolliver, La
Follette and Cummins? One of the recent
publications that persons interested in tariff
details may secure from their congressman is
that which contains the findings of the tariff
board on the cotton schedule. In a nunfber of
particulars noted in a hurried reading of some
parts this board reports as facts what Senators
Dolliver and La Follette told the senate was
true. The senate, following the leadership of
Senator Aldrich, who permitted the cotton in
terests to formulate this schedule as it now
stands in the law, paid no heed to the senators.
Will they look upon the conclusions of this body
of men Mr. Taft has proclaimed to be- experts
with any more respect?
Those pages of the congressional Record de
voted to the speeches of Dolliver and La Fol
lette are easily accessible, and the comparison
of what they said with the facts ascertained by
this board is an interesting task. For instance,
Mr. Dolliver protested vigorously against a
paragraph that put an extra duty of 1 cent per
square yard on cotton cloth that is mercerized.
Mr. Dolliver said that this duty was outrageously
high and proved it. But the senate and house
voted that extra duty, and President Taft ap
proved it. Here is what tho tariff board re
ports: The duty of 1 per cent per square yard
START THE 1912 FIGHT NOW
BY GETTING GOOD DEMOCRATIC LITERA
TURE INTO THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS
One of tho most Important tasks confronting
tho democratic party in tho coming campaign is
tho work of placing its position squarely boforo
tho people by a thorough CAMPAIGN OF EDU
CATION. -1
The time to start this work Is NOW not
after the country is deluged with tons of mis
leading campaign literature. NOW Is tho time
when tho voters aro in a recoptlvo mood and
have tho timo to weigh questions carefully.
NOW is tho time when tho most effective work
can bo done.
Victory In. 1912 is a POSSIBILITY not a
CERTAINTY. Success will depend on whether
tho democratic party is alive to Its opportuni
ties in this campaign. Much will depend on
placing good literature into tho hands of the
voters, old and young aliko. The American
people can be trusted to settlo questions right,
but they want tho facts, figures, arguments and
reasons from authoritative sources.
How can this be done to the best advantage?
Through tho medium of reliablo democratic
newspapers. It is an admitted fact that good
newspapers have a greater influenco with all
classes of voters than any kind of campaign
literature that can bo circulated. A newspaper
paid for by tho reader has a far more dcflnlto
value and Influenco than any publication sont
out for freo distribution. Every campaign
manager recognises this fact. Honco tho impor
tance of assisting in tho work of getting good
democratic papors into tho hands of tho votors.
Many democratic papers will make special
campaign rates rates so low that it will bo an
easy matter to got these papers Into tho hands
of a largo number of new and doubtful votors.
Democratic workers could do nothing better to
strengthen their party than help circulate demo
cratic newspapers In their own precincts. To
aid In this work Tho Commoner also makes a
special campaign nto of 35c on now subscrip
tions from now r Ml tho closo of tho campaign
or THREE NE' SUBSCRIPTIONS for $1.00.
Aro you wlllln to do your part In this work?
Will you do youi part to help placo In tho handa
of new and doubtful voters a medium that will
keep them posted on tho democratic position
clear through tho campaign? If you aro, got
up a club of THREE NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS
FOR $1.00, and send In at onco. It is tho surest
way to win votes In your precinct and add to
tho strength of tho party. Every domocrat can
form at least one CLUB OF THREE In his pro
clnct. It will bo only a matter of a few minutes
work to securo ONE club many will send in
a number. Ask your neighbors and frlonds
to join a CLUB OF THREE; invito tho now
or doubtful Voters to join a club. Uso tho
coupon below:
THREE FOR $ 1 .00 CLUB
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb:
Gentlemen Enclosed find $1.00 for which please send The Commoner to tho following
now subscribers under your special campaign offer THREE FOR $1.00.
Namo .-.-. P. O
Namo
P. O.
Namo . . ..-.-.-. .-. .-.- v.vr,,r? P. O.
because of mercerization is from 9 to 12.5 times
the total labor cost of mercerizing (duties, ac
cording to tho republican platform, represent
only the difference in labor cost here and
abroad) and from 1.4 to 2 times the total cost
of mercerizing. It might be explained that cot
ton cloths are often put through a caustic soda
bath for the purpose of giving a luster that adds
to its beauty as wearing apparel for women who
can't afford silks.
Confirmation of the truth of other statements
of these senators is furnished by this tariff
report. Here are some of them, which show the
careless disregard for the consumer that charac
terized this entire schedule: Every step In the
process of cotton cloth making carries an extra
duty. Finishing is one of these processes. The
board reports that the duty is from a little over
one and a half to six and four-fifths times tho
total labor cost of finishing, and from a little
over one-half to over three times the total cost
of finishing bleached goods. The extreme ranges
in the ratio of duty are partly due to the fact,
It Is explained, that the duties aro not strictly
adjusted either according to cost or value, show
ing how unscientific a taBk it was that Senator
Aldrich's schedule-makers performed. There
are, for instance, three cloths of the same cost
differing but very slightly in tho labor cost of
fiinishing, yet one carries a duty four times and
the other six times as much as tho remaining
piece.
Printing cotton cloths is another step in the
process of manufacture. This is done by im
printing designs on the cloth by means of
presses. The extra duties added vary from two
and a half to over five and a quarter times tho
labor cost of printing and from a third to 1.6
the total cost of the printing. The variance is
duo to tho fact that the difference In the amount
of duty bears little relation to tho cost of tho
cloth or the labor cost of printing. The samo
condition exists with respect to dyeing. Colored
cotton cloths are those woven of dyed yarns,
while dyed cloth is cloth that has been colored
after the piece has been woven. Tho duties on
dyed cloth range from 2 1-3 to 7 1-5 times tho
total labor cost, and from one-half to one and
two-thirds of the total cost of dyeing. Quito
often In these different processes it is tho
cheaper cloth that bears the higher rate of duty,
a characteristic of tho present tariff law. Theso
Instances will suffice to show the reckless dis
regard of the republican protective principle In
the making of this schedule.
If tho. republican party is again entrusted with
the duty of revising the tariff wjll It pay any
more heed to the facts adduced by the tariff
board than it did tho last time it tackled tho
task when the same facts were presented by
responsible members of tho party seeking to
make good the party's platform pledge?
C. Q. D.
TRANSGRESSION
I meant to do my work today
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
A butterfly flitted across the field,
And all tho leaves were calling me.
And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro, .
And a rainbow held out its shining hand
So what could I do but. laugh and go?
-Richard Le Galllenno in Harper's Magazine-
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