The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-08-04
Taxation.


Taxation.
The following article on the UNEQUAL
burtheus of Taxation, from that able and
high-toned journal, the New Hampshire
Patriot, applies with equal force to other
States, and we heartily commend it to the
attentive perusal of our readers:
In perusing "the financial measures"
of the late session, which will be found in
this paper, we are very naturally led to
think of the subject of taxation. And
next to its enormous amount, comes to
mind the fact of its gross inequality
Every body is aware that all public bur-
thens and blessings fall very unequally
upon people; and especially is this SO in
the matter OF taxes, in this State. There
is no subject which more imperatively de-
mands careful and honest legislation q
radical and thorough reform is required
in our laws and practice in regard to the
assessment of taxes. Efforts have been
made to effect this-the subject has been
frequently brought before the Legislature;
but petty personal and partisan matters
have so intensely engrossed the attention
of'the majority of late, that no great sub
ject like this, of vital interest to the mass
of the people, could be attended to. Last
year the subject was referred to commit
tee with instructions to report at the late
June session, but if any report was made
it received no attention.
1t is we'll known to all that an immense
amount of property escapes taxation en-
tirely; probably more than one-third of
the property of the State. This has been
made more apparent since the exemption
of U. S. securities from State taxation
1t Is found that immense sums of money
have been invested in those securities the
existence of which the assessors had no
knowledge of-money which had never
been taxed. Men who have never re-
ported "money at interest" or "on hand"
to be taxed, are found to have invested
large sums in these securities, without
having diminished their "visble proper
ty." This only confirms the otherwise
notorious fact that but small amount Of
"money at interest," has heretofore been
taxed. This is the fault both of the law
and the assessors, and the consequence is
that the men of small property, the farm.
ers, mechanics and laboring men, bear an
unequal share of the burthen of taxation.
The man whose property consists mainly
of farm or house and lot, is taxed
upon all he has while his neighbor,
worth five times as much, whose property,
is mainly in "money at interest,"" notes,
bonds, U. S. securities, &C., gets off with
tax upon small portion of it.
This is great and growing evil and
wrong; and now, when taxation bears SO
heavily upon the mass of people, it impera-
lively demands correction. 1t is folly to
assert that it cannot be corrected-that
legislation cannot reach it. But it seems
to be the policy of the ruling party to i'm.
pose the main burthen of taxation upon
labor and to favor capital and under
our present system, that object is effected.
The day laborer, with no property to be
taxed, often pays as heavy a tax as a
man worth thousands of dollars; and
man having rool estate of the value of
So, 1000, or $4,000, often pays larger tax
than hiss neighbor who has $40, 900 inves.
ted in ways not known to the assessors.
Let any one look over the tax lists of his
town and he will be satisfied of the truth
of this assertion. The result of this is
that the rate of taxation is greatly increas.
ed.
The most apparent remedy for this is to
compel every one to make to the assessors
return of his property under oath, and to
provide proper penalties for false returns.
This would do much towards remedying
this great wrong.
In connection with this subject the bill
taxing incomes from U. S. securities is of
interest, and its justice too apparent to
require further illustration.
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