Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-06-14


crat, published at New Philadelphia, o., to which
we invite the special attention of Taxpayers. tits
a fair exposition of the whole matter involved in
the question Of taxation, which some persons
are studiously attempting to use for the purpose
Of creating unjust excitement. Read the article
and consider the truths: -
SoPHIsTRIEs OF THE ADVOCATE ON THE TAX
LAw.-The Advocate started out last week, in a
reckless manner, to impress its readers with a
horrible idea of the condition of affairs under the
decision of the Supreme Court against deducting
debts from moneys and credits. Some of that
papers attempts to deceive and confound the peo.
pie by its wretched sophistry, we note as fol-
lows: ....
'In listing personal property for taxation no
deduction is hereafter to be made for indebted
ness. ."-IGS. Advocate.
In this, the Advocate intends to make honest
people believe that heretofore they were allow
ed to deduct their Indebtedness from any kind of
personal property. No such privilege was ever
given. Only that favored class who had "mon-
eys and credits" could avail themselves of the
deduction principle. The farmer in needy cir
cumstunces, who had large family to support,
and who was in debt, never was permitted to de-
duct cents worth from the value of his land,
his horses, his cattle, his sheep, his hogs or any
other class of his personal property, although he
were indebted fifty times the value therefor. On
Iy could he make the deduction in case he were
iorehanded enough to have in his possession mon
ey, notes, due bils and other evidences of claims
due him. And herein is the injustice and ine-
quality of this system of deductng Indebtedness
from "moneys and Credits and from nothing else.
1t distinguishes in favor of that particular class
of property against all others. If the rule were
uniform, and placed all kinds of property on
level, the matter would be different. The advo-
Gates of the principle of deductiug debts from
moneys and credits, talk loudly about taxing a
man on more than he is worth. What philanthro-
pists! They don't stop to argue in favor of de-
ducting the farmers indebtedness from his lands
horses, cattle, &C., nor the mechanics and la
borer Indebtedness from his little homestead
and what little personal property he is likely to
have. No, no; they do not say that these clas-
ses of property should have the benefit of the
principle of deduction. But those whose pock-
cts are bloated with "moneys and credits" and
who are cutting wide swarth by being largely
! in debt they are the men who must be favored
whose peculiar class of property, "moneys and
Credits" must be exempted from just proportion
of the burthens of taxation. Out upon all such
special legislation. The mass of the people will
not sustain any such unequal mode of taxation.
They will sustain the decision of the Democrat
of State.
/ Another extract from the sophistries of the
Advocate.
'lf, for instance, mechanic had money due
him to the amount of five hundred dollars, and he
owed his neighbors two hundred dollars, the bal
anCe was fairly struck in his assessment and he
was only liable to pay tax on the three hundred
dollars which was properly and clearly his own.
No such act Of grace is now permitted under
democratic rule. He must pay taxes on five hun
dred dollars without single cent of deduction
for his ebts."-TuS. Advocate.
The above is true as to the effects of the decis-
ion of the Supreme Court in just such a case; but
it is a Characterized" one. As general rule me-
chancs have their books little closer balanced
| They are not the class of men who are troubled
with moneys and credits, and from any other
kinds of property no law of Ohio has. ever per-
miited them to make deductions on account OF in
debtedness.
If blacksmith and sadder 60 to the cities
and purchase, on credit, large stock of materi-
ais for their respective branches of business,
what says the Assessor when those mechanics
tell him that they yet for those materials and
therefore ought not to be taxed on them! He
says; Mr.. Blacksmith and Mr.. Saddlcr, you must
know that the principle Of deducting debts only
applies to particular classes of property, "mon-
"iio SiCuito, ~ uoi "PPly W you SloCh III
trade, your house and lot, your horse and buggy,
nor any other species of property, and so if
you've got no "moneys and credits you must
pay taxes on all your property, even though you
owe for every inch of it! We think we hear the
blacksmith and saddler say that it is an unjust and
unequal law that permits deductions for indebted
ness from one class of property and refuses them
to another. Just so thinks the Constitution of
Ohio, and according to its letter and spirit have
the Supreme Court decided in declaring the 10th
section of the tax law null and void Yet Wing
papers and demagoguges are in favor Of such an
unjust and unequal system of taxation, and are
now endenvoring to raise a camor against the
Democratic party because Democratic Supreme
Court and a Democratic State Auditor are sus-
tanning the Constitution in not permitting deduc-
tons from one class of property, which are not
and never were permitted from other classes of
property.
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