DIRECT TAXA TION. 1 69 



should be taxed at their highest rate up to their full 

 market value, both for federal and local revenue. The 

 same may be said of bonanza farms. 



With direct taxation, however levied, a stop may be 

 put to lavish and unnecessary public expenditures. Lord 

 Derby's remark forcibly expressed its immense advan- 

 tages when he said : " By making the whole revenue 

 depend upon direct taxation, the pressure would be so 

 odious that war would be avoided, because no party 

 would incur the odium of carrying it on." The tax- 

 payer will have a direct interest in holding a govern- 

 ment to strict account for exactions which are made 

 directly against him, for the reason that he directly 

 feels the severity of the burden imposed. Under such 

 circumstances it is only reasonable to suppose that he 

 will weigh well the question of his ability to bear the 

 imposition before he sanctions expenditures which may 

 be avoided. This certainly is another weighty argument 

 in favor of direct taxation. With direct taxation a check 

 would be immediately put to the growing power of Par- 

 liaments. With it properly laid, and with the results 

 which would necessarily follow, the American farmer 

 would again take his place in our legislative chambers. 



