The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-23
Taxation Of Personal Property.
TO TIE HON0RAHLB Mr.. PIERCE.


siR-Your reputation for humanity, as well as for
social justice, obliges me to suppose that in your
"bi for aseertaining and taxing the whole personal
property Of the people of this State you could
have been aware of the great injury you offer 10 in
nict on suffering parsonage, who has been on the
very point OF being ruined 80 many times that
dare not attempt TO give the number. If the depo-
sites were removed. he was to be ruined; if the
United States Bank was broken down, he was to be
ruined: if the sub-treasury was established he was
surely TO be ruined if the tariff Of 1876 estab
lshed, there was no hope that he could survives If
the piers and markets of New York were sold and
the money applied to the city debt, this prosecuted
and long suffering parsonage must inevitably expire;
and, beyond all peradventure. if the sale OF intox
eating drinks should be suppressed he was firmly
solved not to outlive the injury and now while he
is shvering between the hopes and fears OF the
liquor law, you have come out with bill which
VIII do him than the greatest actual calamity
Of his whole iife-the great fire of 1885, Yes: say.
Mr.. A. A.. in the Journal of Commerce. Of March
2 : should this bill become a law. it viii be more
injurious to the business of the city Of New York
than the great fire Of 1885,
Could you have imagined so great calamity from
such n cause? Certainly not. But how s this effect
to follow, if your bill should become law? have
read the synopsis of Your bill in the Journal If Com
mocc, and re-read it; and have read again and
again the letter of A. A.. which accompanies it, and
am still in puzzle to how this dire effect can
possibly follow 50 apparently harmless q cause.
Let us examine the matter. A. A. tells us that
sysreody is in favor OF an equitable system Of tax
aim n in your bill or course it is. A. A. admits
{, for everybody includes Senator Pierce. he
ais you " an excellent senator" Thank him for
hat agree with him. All the owners Of personal
property II New ork are IN favor OF doing exactly
what your bill requires them 70 do-that is. 10 be
axed for exactly what they are worth. 30 says
a. A.. and 50 says your bill. The only difference
Gems 70 be the way of coming Ut the .Inoun; Tor
Nc IN n0h IN h. a\.d - tIa
assessor must guess Your hill says every man must
tell; everybody wishes the assessor may always
guess exactly right: and sonr bill requires that
everybody shall tell right-eSactly right. Now for
The life OF me. cannot see The great difference be-
tween the guessing Of the and the telling of
the owner. Ihe assessor guesses much the owner
has to tell him, and set him right And if be gues-es
too lttle-what then? Why. of course. the owner
will-will what Yes what viii Nj. a. A. tell
Us what !
1t was but yesterday that company Of our towns
men were assembled on some town business, and
the conversation turned on the taxing of personal
property. An old farmer. who had often acted as
an assessor, turned to me and said" Can you tell
me how II is that men Of high standing and large
wealth, and even church membcrs-people who
would not tell a lie in matter between man and
man. under any temptation-will lie like dogs about
the amount of thor personal propertyr' To-mor-
row shall be able to tell him his mistake for A.
assures us that everybody is willing to ray his
full share of taxes.
This morning, | had just finished reading the
journal Of Commerce. when neighbor came in
with whom had a joint ownership in some pro-
was offered US for the property. and proposed that
he should take it. :" No.. said he, If | do that
shall get into the assessors books for that amount
Of personal property. while ] pay nothing"
part
But. still, A. A. will have it THAT the business
Of the city Of New York il to suffer worse than i,
did by the burning Of six hundred buildings
n can no bo tI..o
OF injury 10 real estate. by unequal taxes, is
smaller evil than il would be make the owners of
personal property tell the truth about their wealth,
Another thought occurs TO me-individuals some
times fancy that an injury TO their own particular
branch Of business must be felt 10y the whole city
OF New York, or at least by large part Of it.
Now, If knew exactly what branch Of business
A. A. is ged in. and how his income is related
to the incomes and the taxpaying of certain men in
the city. who own an unknown amount Of personal
property, could guess how he to take up the
notion OF tins great injury TO business, and how he
came to write this letter to the Jomndiof Commerce.
But, as am plain. ignorant coun;iyman, it is
not my place TO be guessing about the delicate mat
tiers Of rich men and THEN agents, especially when
we are assured by two grent A. A. s. that everybody
wishes to pay his share of the taxes
But, sir. could not resist the temptation ofwri;ing
you few lines, reading the synopsis Of your bil
Just TO thank you for remembering countrymeu.
Yet. rs we farmers cannot send up acre of land
so easy rs the mopey-men send up a check. TO
aid equal legislation and your bill VIII probably
be referred TO some gentleman who will discover
that this bill. as well as the for taxing mort
gagged real estates" comes under the division or
head of direct taxation and rs all direct taxation,
in free country. is unjust, shall probably hear
no more Of his bill than Of the other. Both are
probably considered. by majority. as mere amusing
powders to fancied i'll Of the payers Of taxes
on real estates.
Perhaps. if we hear in the country that there is
any disposition at Albany TO 90 fully into the sub
jcct of fair and equal taxation. may spend another
evening in my Chimney corner, in telling you more
OF what is thought, on equal and proper taxation,
bya FARMER.