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Show A CURIOUS PETITION. Utah is not slow at getting up petitions, peti-tions, but Utah alone cannot claim to be the originator of curious petitions. On last Wednesday Senator Ingalls presented to the Senate the petition of S. D. J. Moore, of Jefferson county, Alabaiha, praying for such legislation as will remove the causes of taxation ' in this country and prevent poverty. To petition for such legislation proves that Mr. Moore lias a noble heart but that the turn of his mind is not eminently practical. It is a trite saying that no man can escape death and taxes, but it may be added that taxes often induce death. There was once a means of avoiding the causes of taxation and of preventing poverty, but this means no longer exists. The time when this means existed and was available avail-able was - before Adam, sinned. Just why Adam sinned has never been fully and satisfactorily explained. But the great fact remains that he did sin, and among the most direful consequences of Adam's sinning are taxation and poverty. It is said threpentance, baptism and justification Vr-iith will rid a man of .his sins, but certain it is that these will never relieve him from taxes, while as to pov-erty pov-erty that is dependent upon other conditions. condi-tions. It is believed by keen observers and students of humanity, that if men were given a.choice between a kingdom in heaven, accompanied by a guaranty against sin, and an exemption from taxation taxa-tion and poverty in this world, the majority ma-jority would choose the exemption from taxation and poverty. It is scarcely probable that Congress will see its way to the enactment of the legislation prayed for by the Alabama petitioner.although we feel confident that the Utah Witenagemote could, by recommending that it be done, reserving the right of confirmation and approval to the Utah Commission. |
