The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-05-10
Tho Science of Taxation.

n.s,,,,dl,. ar undcscrscdly, Mr. pA''p
A, WELLS enjoys the reputation on ""I a,
,no,t W the science of taxation '''HN "'"
,,, other man in thi, country. TIC ~
,ryra, n,anv persons recognized -
~, ~, HIGHEST. authority on l"tS'''"S "
,,,o.,,, Certainly he has STUDIED the suo
,,.. and has written great deal upon IL.
~, ,., however, like almost all other re-
formers. adopted some pct theories, and
~, makes his plans of taxation and his asscr-
tious concerning them square with those
theories n; whatever cost of consistency and
common-scn>e. He has recently published
another Of his long, laborious. and $50 his
admirers claim learned letters, in which he
makes the following recommendations as TO
how taxes should he assessed:
First. Real estate and improvements
shall bc taxed ut their full and FAR marker
valuation.
second. Moncycd corporations and I'M
INCORPORATED deposit bankers shall TIC taxed.
Third. InaSmuch As all property not in
ended under these two heads is difficult TO
be- valued and assessed, the taNcommiSsion-
cr> Mr.. Wells is one of thcml propose the
iuilSniny All real estate subject to taxation
shall nc Liable to al, additional or supple
mental GS<cSSmcni0f a sum equal an rdtte to
Mrtt fin,cS the rent or rental rdtHC Of all
ho3tainGS thereon. fur The length OF time nc
itlailr occupied during the year terminating
Apri 81 previous 10 making the assessment.
The buildings shall be considered rs occu-
l,icd for the entire previous year unless III"
a>>r>>olS have reliable evidence to the con-
tr.ry. The tax imposed according TO this
provision /, to be known rs the building
occupancy tax. The reasons for proposing
his is Il substitute for the old mode ul taN-
In% personal property are these:
NO wr>cn can pay rent IN any amount
or own or occupy any building who does
not necessarily have three times The cdlue OF
<u,h rant or rental rdluc IN personal pro-
p,rty: civilized lite cannot be carried on
with any II 81 amount oi such property.
"Another reason for the '5uldln9-oc"u-
Fancy tax is that Il tax on rentals or rental
values of buildings is tax OH income with
out the machinery OF personal inquiSition or
annoyance, and Mr.. Wells aftirms that rent
i more than any one thing the sign OF per-
>cnal property. expense, or consumption.
\ man paving 81 600 rent must have an in
come OF 1T least three times that amount
a. TO the first two items nothing need i"
cwncr of real estate, and also moneved cor
uoraliors and unincorporatcd depo>it-bank-
tr>.
The third recommendation is new and
pl1us;hlr Since the tax ii proposes Is to be
called The huiIdng.occupancy tax, it is OF
course to lie paid by the occupants OF rented
buildings. In the first place. the assumption
on which the tax is based is groundeS>.
Tie OCCUPANTS of rented buildings do not, IA
a rule. own in personal property three times
The value of The amount they pay as rent.
No ASSUMPTION could we'll be further from
the truth. Commencing with the negro
vine pays from forty to one hundred dollars
ucr ai.u,m rent and owns next to nothing
in most cases not the equal Of one years
l.n.al-anl -uiny up to the white man who
pay from 500 to 81 600 "f rent, and otcncr
than uthrrN Sr OWNS no more personal pro-
,rTtv thln would equal in value one years
rental. Mr. WEISS assumption will in more
,!lan two-,hird> OF the cases in this city be
found to be nothing but in assumption.
And of coul>c the result would he, if his
recommendation We're adopted, that these
,.uthrlt, ymollr would he assessed with il
lax i:um Two TO three tunes IL high in pro-
,.urtion to the value Of their possessions as
That Ilnpu,cd upon real cStatc-owncrs and
monc,cd corporations and bankers.
t.ain Mr.. WELLS's theory i that man
!r,> IN income at least three time, a> large rs
,!c amount he pays for hou>c-rcnt. 1t is an
dni,, of the word "incomc' to apply il TO
The sum OF The earnings of il mechanic and
ui most clerks and other employees: but to
,io 80 for tie purpose of doubling the tax
,lrcn these CLASSES would be- gross wrong.
4 i about rs much IL most of them Tan do
10 live upon their earnings, and they should
'c taxed as lightly 1t, possible.
The strongest objection to these recon-
lncndation> is that they would fail to reach
80 many persons in towns and cities. \
large number Of people who ought to pay
taxes are boardcr>; and if they could escape
taxation by hccomin" SUCH still larger
Number would soon crowd the hotels and
l,rartlin--lloli>rS. Mr.. WEISS theory seems
10 Ec that every man either OWNS real estate
OF occupies Il rented house. and, therefore.
lai his scheme would reach all. This is
great mistake. There are men in New York
city who rent rooms on Broadway and pay
Tor them two thousand dollars and upwards
per anHum who could not be reached by
such Il tax. whilst the same mems clerks.
lyin. in rented houses, would have to pay it.
Locking at Mr.. WELI.s'S scheme, then,
without prejudice, and anxious to improve
the system of taxation, we can lind nothing
encouraging i'll it. The man who is to de.
wise 4 plan 10y which the dishonest owners of
personal property Gun be made TO contribute
their due proportion to the support of civil
government has not yet made his appear
ancc.
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Death Of John Stuart Mill.
The Reaper is busy just now. Amongst the
many great men recently cut down, no OF her