Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-04-27
A Uniform Rule OF Taxation.

"a The constitution requires that all property shall
be taxed by a uniform rule. The Banks claim
that they shall be taxed upon their profits merely.
Now, if this is to be the ssrule," merchants, me-
chanics, and every description Of private citizens
must be taxed, not upon their property, but their
prof else that provision of the constitution which
says that claws shall be passed taxing By uni
form rule all property, moneys, credits" &C.,
would be violated = S. s@s's =; :
Now, there are but two ways to settle this mat
Ter: The people will either have to go to the
banks, or the banks dozen to the people; for,
so.long as banks are taxed upon their profits, and
individuals upon their property whether it be OBJ
tanned upon credit or otherwise, is no s'uniform
rule'' of taxation. tits, therefore, for the people
to say whether they will pay an extravagant tax
to support government which licenses wealthy,
aristocratfc bankers to be their own assessors and
pay Just as much tax as suits them; or whether
they will not require that aR,property shall bear
anfequal burthen of taxation. 74 =
We invite the attention of the Star to this mat
ter and the article following from of our best
exchanges, the Stark County Democrat.
q The Star on most questions of moral reform is
considered by its friends. ultra sprogressve." Its
columns contain eloquent appeals to its readers
on the subjects of slavery, spirit rappings, wo-
mems rights and gin cock tails; but on the pro-
gressive doctrines of equal taxation, he measures
blades with the verest bunker old fogy that labors
under severe attack of old fashioned whiggery.
o. The Wing prints are quite indignant at the
recent law empowering County Treasurers to col
lect taxes of the Banks. No matter hoWtiniqui-
tous the doings Of the shaving shops, each whig
print flies to the rescue of their dear pets. 1t was
sowhen Biddle's great monster Wageda war with
General Jackson for SO Tonga time. 1t was thus
in Ohio, in 1912, when the banks in this State
suspended specie payment. The whig prints
then justified their refusal to redeem their prom
ises, and denounced the Democratic, Legislature
which compelled them to redeem or 60 into liqui-
fdation. No matter how barefaced and enormous
the frauds of these Institutions, the whig prints
were at their service. No lickspittle of Europe
aneroyalty could be more obsequious or more ar
dent. 81. s==s q ssf -s..4 gss. .--s
IS Our neighbor had a compilation on the subject
ofsBank Taxes" in the last Repository, in which
he tries to show how unjustly the Banks are dealt
with by not being taxed upon their capital only.
Now, every one knows that individuals are moi
taxed upon that principle. Most merchants, and
many others, are taxed upon much more than
their capital. Merchants are taxed upon thelf
average stock in trade, farmers pay taxes on the
fulIyaue of their real property, whether it ispaid
for or not, and it is well known that vast num-
Der Of individuals in Ohio pay taxes on property
for which they are yet indebted.
Now the tax law of 1852 requires banks to be
taxed like individuals. These institutions are to
pay taxes on all they "use with view to profit y
So it is precisely with individuals.
- Why does not our neighbor publish the 10th
section Of the tax lawl Is he afraid his whig
readers will see the justice and equality of the law
in regard to banks! It would really seem So
The whig prints generally pursue the same course
The law is too plain to be misunderstood, and en-
ttirely too plain and palpably just for whiggery.