The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-24
PERSONAL PROPERTY.

should it be raxed In PhiladeiphIae-A Word
of Warning from New YOrk-How our Utty
has Increased IN size and Prospertty-An
Ubuspnl Ccmpiimcnt.
Under authority of q Joint resolution of the
New York Legislature the Hon. David A. Wells
and Edwin Dodge and George w. Cuyler, Esqs.,
were appointed by Governor Hoffman commits
sioners TO revise the laws of the State for the
assessment and collection of taxes. In pursu-
ance of that object these gentlemen visited our
city, and remained for number of days study
ing our system of municipal taxation. In view
of the fact that at the present moment our city
ie aeitated upon the subject of the taxation of
personal property, this abstract of the report,
which in all its details is of great Importance,
will be of peculiar interest to our readers
Another advantage which may be claimed for
the proposed system OF vauing.the personal pro-
cOrdDg to the ndices which he exhibits to the pub.
lie is that the individual would thereby see and feel
IN consolidated form the proportion of the public
burden he is called upon to sustain and accordingly
have his attention more powerfully directed to the
manner In which the revenues raised by taxation
are disposed Of. On the other hand, wnere taxes
are collected by indirection, and are levied upon
multitude of objects, they escape the attention,
and leave the citizen in indoent and injurious in
difference as to the disposition that Is made
OF them. striking illustration of the truth
OF this proposition now afforded In the case Of the
city OF Philadelphia, of the ceanest most con-
Ueient and prosperous cities of the country Taxa
tion for municipal and county expendtures as has
been before shown. here assessed almost exclu-
vey upon land and buildings and yet in other city
ia the country are rents so moderate, the buildings
cages regarded with more favor. While New York
City, with population of 921 900, In the years 1859
and 1870 built or proposed TO build 453T buildings,
Philadelphia, with population OF $4,000, issued
permits for erection within its limits, during the
same period, OF 10000 buildings, large pro-
portion of which were for dwellings. NOtwith-
standing this favorable exhibit for Philadelphia,
portion OF her local government agitating the
question OF abandoning the existing system OF
taxation, and Of adopting system akin to that now
existing in New York ana Massachusetts. And for
what? Not that the city is not well governed, and
in most respects what it should be, but
simply that more money may be obtained for
greater expenditures. The local legislators know
very well that long the present system of taxa
ton is maintained, the raising Of additional
will be resisted and rendered impracticable But it
is hoped that by bringing Into the range of assess
ment the multitudnous objects classed under the
head OF personal property, that which is now diff
cult will then be easy. The commissioners are dec
dedly OF the opinion that the citizens OF Philade-
pha, II they consult their own interests will avoid
taking step so difficult, when once taken, to be
retraced, and which Is sure to deprive them OF
great element Of their present municipal pros
perity."
In this connection we present some interest
ing and important statistics bearing upon the
subject of taxation, compiled from the report
from which the above extract is taken. The
following table presents the rate and taxation
mill Inc oft