Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-23

this law having tendency to increase, 1t was
the purpose of the legislature, and will be the
practical effect of the law, to lessen the bur
thens of the taxpayers CT the State whenever
its spirit can be carried into practice. The next
matter of regret with me, is. that the newspa-
pers and politicians, (some of whom advocated
the passage OF the law seeing the advantages
being taken, by the money sharks who had pre-
viously lodged the payment of their equal share
of the taxes of the State, to break down the law
and thus defeat more Just and equitable as
sessment' of property, fell into line and took up
the howl of taxes "taxesn taxes" rs
though the law increased the rate Of taxation,
and the new features had been expressly inn
provised for the oppression of the public.
No sane man, who is at all familiar with the
old method ofassessing property, will deny the
necessity for change. Then, if the present is
not the proper remedy, why did not the Sol ons,
who have grown so furious, go to work and aid
in perfecting a law, by discussing instead of de-
nouncing it, and thereby enable the next Leg
islature Tor the present in the event called ses-
sion should be had TO give relief to those who
have been paying more than their proportion
of the taxes of the State? Those who make
the most noise on the subject of what they call
the new law, never pause to consider, or tell the
people, that n fair assessment of property will
not affect the farmer and countrymen as a class,
1t is, nevertheless, fact that the farmers and
country people, as rule, have paid taxes on all
they have had, while the spectators, bankers,
and the men Of wealth have not heretofore paid
taxes in proportion to the property they actually
owned and enjoyed.
What the law designed, as amended, WAS to
reach the wealth of the State which had kept
out of the way of assessors and collectors Of
taxes, and those whe have had their stocks and
monies, and property hid away, are new engag-
ed in poisoning the public mind with a view Of
not only causing the repeal Of the present mode
ofassessment, but for the purpose of preventing
the Legislature from the adoption of any policy
that will reach their hidden wealth and subject
it to taxation. If couatryman has farm and
ha
taxes on whatever they are worth but the
city gentleman, who has his money money on
interest, loaned to the Lord only knows who
how is it to be reached and subjected to taxation
unless by some process of assessment of the
character designed by the present system?
What the people ought TO want is, law that
will operate equally and alike on all classes, and
am not partial to any particularly devised
scheme so that equality Of taxation may be Sc
cured. And if those who have waged war on
the law as it now is, had have accompanied
their denunciations with some recommendation
as to substitute or something better they
would command that respect due to the efforts
at reform. But to assail long existing laws SIM
ply because the Legislature has made an at
tempt to vitalze them, without offering any
thing in the way of improvement, is the confess
sion of want OF capacity to construct, and an
exhibition ola desire to destroy-to tear down
all of which is unnistakable evidence of a lack
of craftsmanship and an insight into the phioso-
ply of government If those discussing this
subject would turn their their attention TO the
real wants of the people, and drown their self
ishnesS in the inspiration of patriotism, it would
take but little time to evolve good, wholesome
and practical law, out of the elements that now
exist. But while the newspapers and politicians
labor to build up and tear down men and par
ties on these questions of home interests and
economy, rather than accomplish the vital
financial needs Of the hour so long willinjustice
and oppression exist on the one side, and frauds
ulent escape from taxation continue on the 9TH
hat / ~ 10 TO rali ba 1a~
payers of the State by carrying into effect that
provision of the constitution which declares
that, All property, real, personal or mixed,
| shall be taxed and thus equally distributing
and thereby lessening the burthens of State,
! Let the wise men, some of whom helped &c
| make the constitution as quoted, give the prop
| er light, and l for one will contribute my in
| fuence to shape the law forthe best-that il
will do the greatest good to the greatest number
| Your mind will supply the want of details il
the argument. s." .
! And now, before passing from this subject tc
| the Assessment law, let me call your attention
| to one of the peculiar sources of Dissatisfaction
1t is generally among, at least sought to bt
stirred up by, those who opposed the establish
| nent of system OF common schools. The de-
| mand for schools was so substantially unani
nous that the MONEY SHARKS were too cow
| srdly to Rssail the measures directly.
To do so was to be ground to powder between
| the upper and neither mllstones of public
1 a
with them when the enemies of free schools
conceived the idea of breaking down the whole
| system by defeating an adequate assessment OF
! property to raise the required revenue to pu
| the schools into operation.
The originators of the opposition to what They
| styled 1.-THE new assessment law" did it as
| war measure against the school system. They
| dared not oppose public schools. But they wei
| knew the people were sensitive on the subject
of taxation. Knowing this they raised the
! b1u Of Jbi oh | gnOl-aD 70 40.
schools by the lack Of money TO run them
| While did not get as good school law as
| desired yet | regard it as great advance FOL
| Tennessee, and if the people, the so-calleC
common people of the State, will meet anC
! frown down the enemies of free schools who
! are fighting from behind batteries masked with
| thagcry of - taxes and assessment laws and
properly rebuke the demagogues who hope &c
drift into office through the influence of and by
psnderingto the haters and opposers Of progress
of the grsndest educational systems with which
| blessed For one / voted in the legislature o.
The STATE to educate tie children Of tie STATE
! And having declared by the enactment of the
| school law that those who owned property
| should pay the necessary taxes to run the school,
what excuse could / render? What excuse
! could you or any other advocate Of schools rem.
der, for refusing to vote for such a system of as
sessment as would reach and subject TO taxation
| the largest amount of property? Were we ex'
| pected TO establish schools without money
! That is the logic of those who are now opposing
! schools under protext Of opposition to assess
| ments in q certain manner. i will repent here