Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1900 — COMMUNICATED. [ARTICLE]

COMMUNICATED.

What the Railroad Tax Means. The Gifford railroad promoters have repeatedly stated that the bonus asked for was a very small one, and that it would increase the present tax burden but little. Let us see. It is proposed, we believe to make this per cent, levy during a period of two years, | per cent, each year, making 75 cents additional tax on each one hundred dollars valuation each year. Below we give the total levy in these towns and townships for 1899, and assum n ' that the regular levy for 1900 and 1901 will be the same, show what the levy will be with the railroad tax added: Regular levy. R.R. added. Rensselaer $3.45 $8.30 Remington 1.08 3.38 Barkley 1.58 3.38 Marion 1.70 3.45 Jordan 1.63 3.87 Carpenter 1.83 3.57 The above tax, understand, as shown in last column, would last for two years and the total amount of said tax would almost equal the total regular annual tax for all purposes in Remington, Marion, Barkley, Jordan and Carpenter. The next man who approaches you with the “argument’* that this is a “small tax,” just tell him that he don’t know what he is talking about, or, if he does know, he is trying to deceive you. The tax is a heavy one, Mad especially so fur a branch “road” such as contemplated. Rensselaer. II II II A Barkley Township View. Editor Democrat:—My view of the railroad tax on Barkley tp., now in question, is that it is certainly void of the least spark of equity or justice to a great majority of the taxpayers, it having no equal in its brazen demand. The injustice is only greater by trying to hide its purpose by straining to

magnify some points for good, to finally rob men, and the widows, to replenish the sack of the monopolist. This is my view of the matter, by observation heretofore and a schooling never to be forgotten of like principle, and also the injury of a cross-raiload to the town that suffered the cross road, makes me think so, and know it. Enhance the value of land within a limit of Bor 10 miles of the town of the cross road, and town property itself! No, there will be a retrograde move in all that from 10 to 50 per cent, which I have seen and felt, as soon as the tax was consumed, and has followed for thirty years and it has a death grip still which seems to be immovable in its course. Money and wit have been freely poured out to regain the country and town’s former prosperity, but all in vain. This retrograde is still there and will have to remain whilst the cross road remains—a cross road and a much better route than this pretended one can be if-done, to all presented extremities, or pretended points, if any. Vote a tax on yourself to rob yourself and stagnate our splendid town and beautiful country and be an accomplice in robbing your neighbor and friend? Don’t, don’t think of voting a tax as little as of robbing your neighbor and helping to kill the town and country, suiciding yourself at the same time in its most aggravating and mean form, produced by brazen men. A Friend to Equity and Prosperity.