The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-03-13
FFoR THE MASSACHUSETTS sPY.]
TaXATTON-NO. III

pSperty taxed. One of these is, that most Of
the complicated machinery Of government,
aud the expenses attending it, have their
or gin in property. The proportion of Legis-
lative and Judicial acts which relate to the
lives. liberty, reputation or health of the cit
iaens. is very small, and nextto nothing, COM
rared With those which relate to property
Ard, even of these former, most owe their
e>isteace remotely to property, without which
inere would have been little or no occasion
'1,r them. Few of the violations of law
which are committed, have their origin in per-
sonal hatred or revenge, but generally pro-
coed from cupidity and a lust of gain. In the
sayage state, where there is a community of
property respecting most things, the system of
law IS very simple and easily executed, and
lie forms Of administering government few
Bnt in civilized life, where every thing is
specially appropriated, and the great business
"t life is for the most part the attainment of
wealth, the case is very different. Invention is
here active in devising new modes of acqusi-
Ton. and enterprise busy in filing up all the
,,annels Of commerce. The effect Of this is
T. introduce great complexity in the transact
ion OF business; and a great variety Of laws,
:issti;ations, tribunals, &c. are necessary in
eder to afford proper facilities, and guard
Another reason in favour Of the proposed
ssster,, is, that the property Of the wealthy
Is by no means SO easily ascerained as that of
the poor and middling classes, and so not sub
.jes:ted 10 its due proportion of taxes under
lac xistng system. The property of the lat
Ter generally consists of those things which are
open to publick notice, and which are easily
sScertained while that of the former is in
: ested in so many invisible shapes, as banks,
stocks, sEc. that il easily eludes scrutiny. So
G.at II may he assumed as a fact that the
! ~r do indeed. at present, pay in proportion
10 ther property In a much higher ratio
i an the rich.
h may, perhaps, be objected by some that
,seha system, even if well founded in theo-
r., IS not practicable, by reason of The in
i.icacy which it viii introduce into the mode
a. assessing taxes. do not myself see any
difficulty of this kind. Suppose, for exam
PIE, il were required to collect tax of three
persons, one worth s 10000, the I'd, $780,
80, and the Sd S 10000; and that the ratio
ssroul1 he per cent. for the lst, for the
-, and for the 3d---all that is to be done
j - double the property of the I'd, and threble
fi.at Of the 3D., and then tax it all in the
sane ratio of ! per cent.
ihes much for the mode propose. will
l7.. proceed 10 consider some Of the specifck
t;,yes proposed in the Legislature at their
,fa session, which in my first number said
were in my opinion inapolitick and aenequal.-
fh~st as they passed the House were tax
rron Insurance Companies, and upon Auc-
i.'E.s. Most of the objections which exist
AGAINST them were very well presented in the
sort to the Senate. These, therefore,
VII eot repeat.-First, as to tax upon In
) teas4 offices. If this tax was to operate
J:,o: men of wealth exclusively. in the un-
teTvgiters, and did not make distinction be-
tween them and other persons of property
throughout the Commonwealth, should not
S.c opposed to it. But it would not fall upon
ti.'- class of persons. The tax Of per cent.
I.eoIased, would of course be added to the
AMI premium, and would be collected frcsn
al. these who get their property insured. -
oras the risk now is put at the lowest rate by
t'ioss who insure, they would not continue to
i.tStsre unless they could add to the premium
f!ie additional expense they incur in doing
l.. he tax, therefore, would come from the
lssT as well rs the rich, from the man in the
country as well as on the seaboard, and would
- = tax upon a portion of the community
s''ycagl,out the State. It would of course
rAF'rnnfagc insurance, and in effect lead to
tsn loss of much private property by FIRE and
sihcF disasters without any j; d ,nnit-, and by
ts'"ee who could Ill afford to lose it. Or an
cti,cr consequence injurious to the interest
Of the State might happen, that individuals
voald get their property insured in other
:'ates, where the tax did not exist.
As to .4ueiioas IaTes.--l'he effect of sales
as Auction is to make free competition
;snong all those who are engaged in merchan-
sstgc- and to FIX the price OF articles at the
lowest rate which the wants of the commu-
Tity VIII justify. 1t prevents the monopoly
which take place among the importers, to the
pnjuS:ce of the retail dealer and the pub
lick generally. If tax is imposed upon
auction sales, the consequence will be, that
cS,arges upon sales Of this kind viii be higher,
andnf course fewer goods sold in this way
and those which are sold must bring higher
prices, or they will not be sold People there
S'Fe must pay more for their goods whether
they buy them at auction or Of the importers.
u IS sid there are many merchants abroad
rho are in the practice OF sending their goods
ta our market, and selling them at Auction,
without mourning any of the expenses OF
rent. taxes, &c. which our merchants do, and
Nv This way they are enabled to underscll
taeln. But would ask If, in consequence
Of taese exemptions. they can sell cheaper
TAN oihers-who enjoy the benefit oft I. Do
not cur retail dealers and the puhlick gener-
ally? And shall we put tax upon them,
ti,e effect Of which would be only to deprive
tsle publick of benefit to give it to the inn
posterss Shall we tax the people generally,
fy such would be the case, for the benefit Of
sr;sss OF individuals, and this class, too, from
TIE nature Of their business, wealthy.
confess do not sec the policy or justice of it
5@sides, another bad effect would spring from