Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-10-05
MIR. CHASE ON TAXATION.

universal interest to the people OF the state
generally. From a very full report Of his
speech in the Dayton Gazette, we make the
following extracts, and commend them to
the serious consideration of those who favor
REFORM in our Tax system. It is graft
Tying TO known that Mr.. Chase is right on
this as well as all other questions of State
policy. Of vital interest 10 The people. The
views Of Mr., Chase in regard TO our taxes
are the same as those held 10 common By
the people Of the State. while Gov MedilI,
as is wen known, fayors the present system
Of taxation. which bears with such weight
upon the people. Il Medill is elected, it
will be regarded as an endorsement of bis
views; while If Mr.. Chase is elected, il will
be regarded as the verdict Of the people
against the present system. Bot here are
the extracts from Mr.. Chsse's Dayton
speech. Read them Ur5Gna Citizea.gH
o. He says-z-1 rsliG9 sad sfs saHiA sdl
These taxes are indeed not all for Stale
exT enses, nor are they levied as State taxes.
A part of them are for township and coun-
ty purposes. But they are levied under
laws enacted BY the party who control the
Stale Administration. And we think the
law should be altered We believe that
not only should the aggregate OF taxes be
reduced TO sum absolutely necessary for
the expenses Of The State, but that the
present rate Of taxation should also be
changed. The principle upon which taxes
are at present collected, is a subject of just
complaint. 49, - @ %
@ By legislative enactment, properly hold
ers were allowed to deduct from the effects
in their possession, the amount of The
claims held against them BY others. But
this enactment. the Judiciary have decided
to be Unconstitutional, aud the result is
that the people are taxed, not only for what
We have, but also for what we have not
Subsequently, to the decision Of the Su-
preme Court, the State Auditor issued his
circular. Promulga,ing the rule and direct
ing the County Auditors to act accordingly.
In some counties the Recommendations Of
thisscirculat have been followed, while in
others they have been entirely disregar1ed
Hence, in different districts different rules
of taxation prevail, and the consequence Of
the whole is that our taxes are oppressive,
not only by their amount, but also by their
gross Inequality "if
. Within four years, the taxes Of the StaIe
have sWelied from four millions Of dollars
to nine millions; SO that each man, woman
and child, were taxes laid equally upon al
the population, would be obliged to pay
four dollars and fifty cents every year tow
ards the expenses of the Government Ev-
err man, who owns an acra Of land, feels
the burthen Of this most oppressive taxa
ton. To the farmer, lis magnitude makes
it appear rather rent than tax, so that
he feels as if his State were his landlord.
and he occupied simply the relstiOniof
tenant. Nowthe party in power have made
ticket with the names of all the men up
omit who we're in Office last year-theysry
men under whose auspices the taxes have
swollen to their present amount Upon
what ground they will urge upon you the
election of these men, know not, unless it
be, that having known so well how 10 put
on taxes, they are supposed 10 know the
best mode ofltaking them off. But, gensle=
men, that the taxes may be lightehed, it is
not alone necessary that these men should
know how, but that they should also have
the disposition to remove them and of
their disposition, think we arejustiied in
looking upon their past history as a sdfi-
cient index. i -l-g5s 80 l7 loo1fsnds5 sdI
Nov, in the opinion of the Republicans.
the rule of taxation should be entirely did
erent They bold that if man begins life
with nothing, il IS wrong to crush him be-
meath burden eftaxes. Give him az open
field and a fair start When be has means
then tax him for them. bat fairly and equal
"; aud apply the same rule to all persons
whether natural or artifcial-to banks and
insurance and railroad companies. ss Dol p
To illustrate the rule adopted by the
State Administration, take the case of
man who boFr6ws one hundred and fifty
dollars, and without using it himself, lends
il to his neigbbor receiving his note. In
this case the person supposed is taxed for
$50, simply for being the agent by whom
that note is collected from the last debtor
for the benefit OF the original creditor.
But the defenders of this rule of taxation,
urge, as a compensation for its irJustice,
that it increases the tax list. This is very
true. Put upon the list everything the
people have, and you will undoubtedly
swell it to pretty good SIZE But let me
show you another illustration, how this plan
works in increasing the list. aai Gala 'e5it.
Suppose I borrow 81 l,0oo. and then loan
the same amount 10 person who lends it
again. and so on through the 400, 900 vot-
ers 10 the State till we reach the original
lender, who in bis turn gives his obligations
for thousand. We have then 100000
for 81 GOO for each, amounting
in all to $4OO,0OO,0OO, which according TO
the present rule is the subject of taxation
In other words S4O0,a0o,000 is added by
these transactions to the tdrable property of
the State, while the actuai property is not
particle: so that every man in
the State pays $40 for the privilege of bOr-
rowing and lending $1,000. -,< --.=l
This is all wrong; so utterly indefeasa-
Bile is it, thatI never heard a respectable
in its favor. TIE only case
ever heard of like it was the story Of the
two Yankees, (and by the way if you will