The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-01
State Taxes. - r4rst
7 PrrERsBJss, March %, 1874.

L =
Ito tie Editors Of tte, Richmond Dispatch
Dear Sirs.-Permit me, through your galu
able paper, to bring to the notice OF the LIE
gislature some very unjust and unequal tax
alton In the last act passed, and to express
the hope that change for the better VIII OF
made In the bill now before the Legislature
It seems to me that taxation ought 10 Ok
eqaidl, and am rather inclined to the opin
| ion that the Bill Of Rights so declares. Lei
me point out as briefly IS l can some re"
glaring cases Of most unequal and therefore
unjust taxation. To illustrate: b Is COM
mission merchant, and receives during the
year S5, 900 as commissions on produce SOLO
Out of that sum he has to pay clerk hlre,
| store or Office rent, and other expenses, ano
has. besides. to support himself and family,
and at the close OF the year he may not nave
$500 left, and yet be has $3.50 State taxes 10
pav. besides license tax of $35. In otner
words. be has tax Of $3.50 to pay, when ne
NAV not have had over $500 leit OF tne
81, 600 that passed through bis hands. WoTse
stilI than this i: it may have been tnat Wy
had debts made by advancing, ana alter
payipg expenses and supporting ms lan NY
that he did not have one cent OF Tue 1o,ovV
left and vet il he continues the business ne
mu,t borrow $3.50 to pay the State taxes ZOE
else he cannot continue the buslness). mere,
then. is the case of party, having notning
Ieft having $3.50 State taxes, whereas y,
ow nino real estate which would bring $4,000.
navs only t,centy.tiue dollars. Where is the
Justice of taxing B $3.50 on what passed
Mrouoh has hands during the year, and then
taxing C only S25 on real property aoorh
fpe thousand dollars?
Again: D. is a clerk living on salary Of
$1,000. Now, if be has family Of apx size,
be must use Gf living in city, great econo-
nv TO make :. both ends meet" at the end of
the year, and if he can do that he is COM
paratiyely happy man. Now he has to pay
$40 State taxes on his salary, whereas his
neigbbor Giving next door, perhaps,) pays
only SO tax ON real estate that would bring
readily $4,000. There is no sort OF justice
in any such unequal taxation, as the one
party is heavily taxed on what ne may
haze had, and the other lightly on;
what he has uisible and Of value. Just
here will add my establishment
that a leading body of merchants should have
recommended the Legislature not to tax
money loaned ON real estate at six per cent.
per annum. Why, If there are any two
classes of citizens who should bear taxation
they are the owners Of real estate and per-
sons having money to loan. They have the
very property that ought in justice to pay
taxes. The idea of moDey-lender having
no tax to pay on money loaned on real estate
at sic per cent, and yet compel another
lender of money who might lend money on
securities to pay tax, would be most out
rageous, unjust discrimination. The one
who bad undoubted security to pay no tax,
and the other much less security the tax to
pay. If such law was passed what sort of
chance would party not possessed OF real
estate have to borrow money on the favored
terms None whatever. Such solution !"
of the interest law of Virginia, trust, will
never find favor with the Legislature. NJ.