The Ogden Standard

POLL TAX BURDEN IS SOURCE OF MUCH OBJECTION

Collection of poll taxes in Ogden is being strongly resisted and the Socialist party has appointed a committee of S. Ambler, O. A. Kennedy and A. B. Brown to draft resolutions and present them to the city commissioners.

Following is their petition:

'To the Mayor and Commissioners of Ogden City: Gentlemen—The undersigned committee, acting under instructions from the Socialist party of Ogden City, hereby calls your attention to the fact that an effort is being made here in Ogden to collect two dollars poll tax, while in Salt Lake the commissioners have decided not to collect this tax. We submit that if Salt Lake can waive its collection, Ogden can do the same. There can be no doubt in your minds that this tax is very unpopular. It is the opinion of many attorneys, and at least one judge, that the tax is unconstitutional. It is the opinion of large numbers of our citizens that such a tax as this is simply an effort to take part of the burden of taxation off of property and levy it on men. This form of taxation is hated and its collection is resisted more keenly than any other kind. There is endless friction in collecting it and it is only collected by constant threat of prosecutions. If a question of collecting the tax were submitted to a vote of the citizens, without doubt you would receive instructions by an overwhelming vote not to collect it.

'We suggest that you consider carefully the action of the Salt Lake City commissioners and issue instructions that the Ogden officials desist from further efforts to collect the poll tax.'

"After Dark" tonight, Alhambra.