Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-05-30

There is no public polcy that needs a more thor
ough revision than that IF taxation. The present
system Of assessment is both unrqnal and unjust In
examining The Assessors list recently. for the present
year. noticed TINT the therein made
of personal property, no, governed BY the actual
amount subject 10 valuation. bit by sort OF prOp0r
tionaie relative system. of which each payer
himself The judge. For instance, If A. had properly
10 the amount of 10000. aud which assessed at
$1,000. b. who had property the amount of 5000
would give 81 900 as The amount that he should be
assessed In some instances We noticed that really
conscientious persons would give the amount,
as near as they could determine, Of the vsue Of their
taxable property.-whe in other cases. those who
have reputation for being equally upright, and whes
would be indignant at charge questioning their in-~
tegry actually holding property Of three times the
value of those who made honest report. gave in
the amou?t on which they were liable sum more
than two-thirds less.
Some method should be devised which will place
upon the Assessors roll all the taxable property in the
State at its actual valuaiion-any other system than
this will make the burden Of supporting government
unfair and unjust, and leave it without any rule
principle which will be Of general application all over
the State. and which will fairly equalize the taxes for
general purposes.
The poll or head tar should be abolished, and the
burden for supporting the government should be placed
entirely upon property, some equitable bass. The
main object of civil government is for the protec-
ton and security of property, and certainly upon that
for which government is instituted and sustained
should the burden be placed.
The present road tax, and laws requiring two days
work upon the roads, as general thing, certainly
fail in accomplishing the objects for which they were
intended. Money enough IS ralsed and expended for
road purposes if judicnusly and faithfully applied.
make and keep in good repair the common roads of
the county. But how is it The Office Of Supervisor
is snecure-if work is done, either from interest
lack of skill, it is Of public bene6t-and the tax
burden imposed upon the people for which, little. or
no equivalent is returned The present tax for this
purpose should be abolished, if continued, some
system established which would accomplish the design
in raising the make, and keep in repair the
common roads of the country.
Another great grievance is that improved real pro-
perty has TO pay large proportion of the taxes while
unmproved lands, and lots held by speculators, gen.
orally to the deiriment Of the welfare of those who
occupy, cultivate improve adjoining property, and
who bear the burdens and perform the labor which
gives value to the whole escape the equal and just
proportion of taxes which in equity and In justice
should be imposed upon them The citizen who owns
but little property, and who by his labor gives
10 property its value and income has to pay poll,
and perform two days labor upon the roads which
goes for the benefit principally, and which lessons The
burden Of the large property holder who, IT resi-
dent is subject only TO the same tax, or II non-resI-
dent, escapes soss ether and in addition, If pro-
perry owner is taxed for his Improvements which
certainly is Of equal importance in raising the value
Of the unmproved property as that of his own The
unimproved property should be assessed the same as
that which is improved. policy of this kind would
throw the support Of the State where il properly be-
longs, would in measure prevent the present spec
ua lions in real estate and would bring into culiiva-
ton and improvement immense quantities OF land
held by those who by such system would release
their hold upon them matter OF interest, as they
now keep them for adverse The whole
system of taxation asors the large property holder
at the cost of .be small land owners and the aborers
policy tho reverse Of the present would bring into
market-inio the hands of those who wish TO i'm
prove it, large quantity of property held for specu
lating purposes. There be greater curse to a
country or town. than 10 have large proportion OF
it's lots or lands held in this way II retards and
diminisies all the great interests of society. IL
checks the progress of education, of morals, and OF
general prosperity by placing upon few the expense
of sustaining those interests, which otherwise would
be shared by increased number.
We hope the attention of the people will be turned
to the consideration of this important question. With
them is the renedy.-Lqfayettc Courier.