state Convention—Currency, taxation, etc. 195 
case being altered, alters the case) as every dollar that railroads 
pay out they must collect of those who use their roads. 
That under whatever pretense or mode taxes are levied on 
these commercial facilities, they are nevertheless ultimately a tax 
on transportation, to be paid in fact by the owner, producer and 
consumer of the property transported, and therefore it is not the 
interest of the farmers to have railroads taxed for local purposes, 
as it would compel us to pay a portion of the local taxes of every 
town, city or village through which a railroad passes. A few 
cities where there is a large amount of railroad property, and 
where there is a heavy local tax, would be benefited by such a 
law. But I do not wish to have farmers compelled, either direct¬ 
ly or indirectly, to pay any portion of the local taxes of any city, 
town or village where they do not reside. What I do want, and 
what our law makers should attend to is, to as far as possible,, 
compel an honest and economical management of railroads, under 
a board of commissioners, who shall adopt such restrictions and 
regulations as are necessary to render them most beneficial to all 
the people. If we could tax capital invested in railroads, express 
and telegraph companies without having it added to the present 
exorbitant rates charged and collected of the people, I believe it 
would be but just to do so. But if such tax has to be paid by 
the already over burdened farmers, for the benefit of others, I am 
opposed to such tax. 
We paid in this state last year, a tax amounting to $7,395,181. 
This was about seven dollars for each person in our state, and yet 
we are one of the lightest taxed states in the Union. The income 
tax was the only tax that reached accumulated wealth, and that 
is now abolished. I think it ought to be renewed ; it taxed those 
best able to bear it. If every one was taxed two per cent, upon 
his net income over $1,000, it would raise a large revenue. If 
the farmers were only taxed upon their income over $1,000 I 
think there would not be much tax collected in my section of 
country. We farmers ought to demand that every class of prop¬ 
erty, especially accumulated wealth, be taxed as high as our lands 
are. We are taxed on what we owe as well as what we own. If 
I buy a farm for $10,000, in payments of $1,000 a year, I have 
to pay taxes on the farm, and the man who holds my notes has 
