The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-07
concerninE. systems Of Ta1atlOn,

4oASAAS Va ANANsASAAS
(Frorn this N. Y. Journal OF Commerce.
We have several inquiries in relation to
our views upon the question Of taxation.
We have nothing new to, offer upon this
theme. Tho subject is old, has been
treated extensively, II not exhaustivcly,
In, our columns during the years gone by,
and the same reasoning, will apply to old
errors revamped, and NEW theories now
proposed, which VIC have used for the last
thirty years. We do not believe in ex.
emptions Of real estate, no matter for
what purpose il is used. There Is no
more propriety In releasing from taxation
o property worth 5000, 900 used for
church than ifthe same were used in man.
ufaciuring tobacco. Churches, parsona.
ages, hospitals, .asylums, and even Ceme-
teries ought to be assessed on the same
principle as other real estate, and taxed
to the same event. There is no argu.
ment TO be presented that Is even plau.
sible in favor Of their exemption. Per-
sonal property is q fair subject OF taxa.
ton, and II ii could all be reached, none
Of 1t should be exempted. But 1t is i'm.
possible, under our present form OF gov
eminent, and probably under any system
Of administration, to include all or even
o large portion Of 1t. The holders
Of Government Bond arc exempt for
the entire amount invested in
these securities. When the public debt
was small, this was an inconsiderable
item; but now, excluding all that Is held
abroad, this exemption will reach a
thousand millions, and any system Of tax
ing personal property must thus DO sub.
jeCt to great inequalities. Beyond this is
the impossibility Of obtaining full lists OF
personal property that is by law subject to
taxation. Even in Massachusetts,, where
the people are supposed to be very moral,
and where every property.holder Is re.
quired to disclose under oath the value Of
his or her estate, tho assessment Is con.
fessCdly very incomplete. In this State
whore no such statement is required a
large part Of tho personal property es.
capes altogether. II the assessors think
man ought to pay little tax on person.
alproperty they lay a mild assessment and
notify him. II the amount falls consider.
ably within the value Of his personal eS.
tate he Chucklos that the levy Is nolarger,
and pays his tax upon 1t without demur.
II he does not own so much above his
liabilities he has only TO make oath to this
effect, and theRmount Is reduced or blot
ted out altogether. Thus, while none are
here assessed for more than they have,
there Is gross Inequality In the levy on
personal property. One man with only
IS, 900 above his debts may pay tax on
the whole Of it. Another who is worth
$l00, 900 may pay no more, or escape Al-
together, and all who hold only govern
ment security escape everywhere. 2
On this account 1t would probably be
the iairest to wipe out all assessments fol
personal properly ,which'is intangible, OF
easily hidden from sigh, and levy oil the
taxes on visible property. This would
distribute itself through the community
giving to each his fair share of the COM
mon burden. The difficulty In this plar
Is chiefly to DO found in the prejudlces Of
many Of the uneducated or unobservant
who hold real estate, and who cannot see
that they would really bear no heavier
burden than at present. although they
might be taxed OF higher nominal rate
1t would discriminate little in favor oil
improved property, or real estate thai
produces an income over that which Il
held for mere speculative purposes; buI
we should not regret this, and we believe
the public would be benefited by the el-
feet Oft. We never have favored the
tying up Of . block Of ground, or 4 large
tract OF real estate for years, without in
come, merely to secure rise in value
with no use forlt. Anything which leads
to the use or improvement Of the proper
ty, even for the mere purpose Of securing
an annual income from it, is public ben
eft This Is one reason why we opposl
tho new theory Of taxing the occupant o.
owner oiimproved property according t
lis rental value. 1t discourageS, IN I
measure, the spirit ofimprOvcment. n