The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-15
Taxation.


re so applicable here in our own State
hat We give them special prominence
a this column. We quote from its ar
iele as follows:
Our whole system OF taxation is bad,
being unequal in its operations. Real
estate, for example, is taxed on about
loue-third of its real value, while per
sunnl property has TO be returned at its
full value. Thus, for example if u man
owns $4,000 in money he pays tax on
that amount, while If he owns "A house
and lot worth coo he is taxed on
about 900. This comes hard on peO-
/ pie who own personal property to any
extent, and is used as an argument to
/ Justify the general system OF dOdgingtO
which we refer. If the Legislature
would correct the evil it must go TO the
bottom of it, and provide system of
equal taxation Lately we met Cier-
mont county farmer, whose farm was
valued, on the tax duplicate, at 81, 600.
The tax amounted to $40 per year He
sold the farm for $4,000, which he de-
sired 10 invest, depending upon the in
terest for a living On this $1,000 his
tax would be Sl2O per year, while he
could not collect, under the interest
law, over $3.50 for interest. This would
leave him only $40 to live on. This
exhibits one species of inequality.
Another - that which taxes a man
L.
as-essed value of the property, while
ii also taxes the notes and money re-
ceived and held by the party making
the sale. This is double taxation. II is
clear that our whole tax system needs
revision. Nibbling ut it will do no
good. The whole thing should be
taken hold of and thoroughly over
hauled"
Any one acquainted with the mode
OF assessment prevalent in our midst
will see ut once the force and the JUS
tice ofthe foregoing remarks. Real es-
tate property that may be bringing in
an average of ten or twelve per cent.
net, to its owner, is assessed perhaps at
One-third or may be one halt of its nc
tual cash value, while personal proper
ty is assessed rs near as possible at
what it will sell for. Take, for in
stance, the case OF IA man who holds a
promissory note for thousand dollars.
lie must not onlyreturn the face value OF
that note, but he is actually obliged to
add the accrued interest in his return,
and out OF the sixty dollars due him
for a years interest he is obliged to pay
thirty or thirty-fve dollars of it in
taxes. We heard a case stated some
days ago where thirty-eight dollars and
some cents We're thus consumed out of
sixty Such taxation is simply intoler-
able. And one reason why it is made
thus intOlerable on the holders OF per-
sonHl property is because real estate is
so grossly undervaIued, contrary to the
spirit and letter OF our organic law
which Pointedly prescribes that tall
property, both real and personal, shall
be taxed in proportion to its value
This mandate is totally disregarded ii
the assessment of taxes. The house il
which merchant is doing bushes.
and for which he pays say fifteen hun
drerd or two thousand dollars rent, es
caPes with a nominal valuation, while
the personal property OF the renter i.
taxed to it's full sUleuble value.
Our law not less but perhaps ever
more than the Ohio code, needs thor
ough overhauling on the whole subjec
OF taxation. 1t is far from being wha
it should be. There is II feature in il
for instance, that is interpreted to Civ
power to levy u tax on personal proper
ty held out of the State on which n tn,
Is paid in another State. If IA maj
owns II farm in Pennsylvania and re
sides here, he pays his tax, of course, L
Pennsylvania. and there is an end OF II
but not so il he owns certain kinds q
personal property. No odds how muc
he may be taxed in Pennsylvania, h
Is still liable here ngaiu. OF cours
there is no more justice in forcing tn
owner OF taxed personal property
residing here, to pay twice, thar
with one taxation. II our constitution
al provision has any protection in it t
the citizen, it meant to protect hir
against uu oppression of this sort. w
know gentleman who paid the locg
taxes on his bank shares in Ohio, an
paid them again here. Between tn
TwoStates aud the general Government
he was pretty near in the same condi
tion of that oswegO man who, out OF
dividend ofSS5, was handed check 70
$40. balance remaining to his credi
after deducting taxes. Such inequal
~ is grossly wrong, and it cannot eu
duIe, simply because the people cannc
stand it. We hope to see our laws i
regard TO taxation amended by tn
light OF experience Mt an early day.
THERE has been more of u feeling i
the South than has been generally a
kuowledged, that the government
erected by Johnson were fictitiou
temporary, and not to be depended NJ
ON. The Mobile Adperttser' pits it yer
san5idIN- ~ 6nlIpvs.
and after all, we do not lose muc
in the loss of the system of State sci
government, which has been far mo-
shadowy than substantial since Il
close OF the war. Our Governor, OF
Judiciary and our Legislature hare bet
AittIe more than puppets playing The
PdntomiHIic roie, IrheIl alt the Icorfd EHe
pulling the UireS. y Presidential ukas
or a general military order, has bee
sufficient ut any time to arrest the s.
tire farce, just as II is now being dor
by a Congress that represents Il mino
iIy OF the American people"
THE annual consumption of ice
Chicago is about ffty thousand ton
The amount stored in the ice houses
the present time is about one hundr,
and forty thousand tons. The CO
weather has enabled the people in t
South to largely supply themselv
with ice, aud thus diminishes the pre-
pecttve demand from the North.
view OF these facts the announced d
termination of the Chicago ice-deale
10 raise their prices twenty five per ce
over tie high rates OF last year is CO
sidered somewhat lev,
MARRIAeEsin Ohio decreased 5pr;,
NN,a.