The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-07-28
Taxation,

Tb. following article on the unequal burthens
r Taxation from that able and high-toned
;o,,rraI the New Hampshire Pah5ot, applies
,yitb eaual, force to Pennsylvania and we heart
;Iv 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,
,e are very naturally led to think of the subject
If taxation. And next to It's enormous amount,
comes to mind the fact of its gross inequality.
Everybody is aware that all public burthens and
blessings fall very unequally upon people; and
especially il this so in the matter of taxes, in
this State There is no subject which more I'M
peratlYely demands careful and honest legisla-
ion; 4 radical and thorough reform is requir-
ed in our laws and practice IN regard to the as
s5ssnleut Of taxes. Efforts have been made to
efecs ths-the subject has been frequently
brought before the Legislature but petty per-
sonaL and partisan matters have 80 intensely en-
crossed the attention of the majority of late,
tbat 10 great subject ike this, of vital interest
ie The mass Of the people, could be attended
10. Last year the subject was referred to a
committee with lntructions to report at the late
Jane session, hdt 1t any report was made il re-
caircd no attention.
II is Wei known TO all that an immense a.
mount of property escapes taxation entirely;
probably more than one third of the property
Of the State. This has been made more appar-
ent since the exemption of L. S. securities from
State taxation. II is found that immense sums
Of money have been invested in those securl-
ties the existence of which the assessors had 10
knowledge of-money which had never been
taxed. Men who have never reported ''money
st interest" or son hand" TO be taxed are found
10 have invested large sums in these securities,
without having diminished their ''vsible prop
ertv" This only confirms the otherwise motor
i0us 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 prop
erty the farmers, mechanics and Iaboring men,
bear an unequal share of the 5urthen of taxa
ton The man whose property consists mainly
Of a farm OF a house and lot, is taxed upon all
he has; while lis neighbor, worth FIVE times
as much whose property IS mainly in ''money
at interest" notes, bonds, L. s securities, &c,
gets off with tax upon but small portion of
il. This is a great and growing evil and wrong; !;
and now, when taxation bears 50 heavily upon
tue mass Of people, it imperatiVe'y demands
correction. II IS folly to assert that it cannot
be corrected-that legislation cannot reach it
But it seems TO be the policy Of the ruling par
ty to impose the main burthen of taxation up
on labor and to favor capital; and under our
present system, that object is effected, The day
laboTsr, With no property to be taxed, often
pays as heavy tax as a man worth thousands
of dollars and a man having real estate of
the value of $4,000, or -, 900, often nays a
larger tax than his neighbor who has $40, 900
invested in ways not known TO the assessors.-
Let sny one look over the tax-list Of his town
and he will be satisfied Of the truth of this as
sertion. The result Of this is that the rate of
taxation is greatly increased
The most apparent remedy for this is to COM
pei ereTy one TO make to the assessors a return
of his property under oath, and to provide pro-
per penalties fer false returns This would
DO much towards remedying this great wrong.
In connection with this subject the bill tax
ing incomes from Z. S. securities is Of interest
and It's justice too apparent to require further