, 1874-05-26


to pay taxos, and, In view Of this exhibit Of what
has boen oxtortod from tho people Of Illinois in
tho four years just closed. noone will be surpris
cd at the statement Of Senator 8tarne, that many
farmers In various parts of Illinois are selling
their lands and moving out of the State. They
feel that thoy muat do thls now, nor wait until
tho tax-gathorer leaves them nothing to soil.
We hnYo on repeated occasions shown from
tue Auditors reports TINT under our State
revenue system over 30 per cent Of tho taxeH
loyiod for State, county, and all other purposes
in Illinois il paid by tho land md the personal
property incidental thereto. Our royonue sys-
tenn processes to tax all the property In the
stato 1t ia effective to tho extent Of reaching
every aero OF land aud every town.1ot, From
Cairo to tho Lake not 4 foot Of 1ana escapes. Tho
ctics) every horse, mule. COW, sheep. OK. hog, md
chicken, aud every plow rake, reaper, mower.
and other implem ent they arc able to emu.
uacrate every watch, clock, sewing machine, wag-
on, aud cart on cycry farm in tho 9teto; not
one Of these things esoapcB tho vigilance OF tho
AssoHsor. But, away from the farms and dla-
connected from tho land, the Assessor fluids little
or no personal property IN tho State.
Thus while The values Of the rea! and paraonal
property in this State, subject under cur Law
to ta1ation, arc about equal, tho Assessors find
mud the State Board Of Equalization npportion
! the values as folloW8:
Value Of lansls and lots 500, $40 202
Vauo Of personal property. 2S7, ,292. .8o2
Nor does thia classification show tho full Vi
| ciousneas Of tho aysteo. Included in the above
abatement Of personal property arc tho valuaa ot
tho livestock, implements, wagons, otc., found
on tho farms, all directly connected with tho
1and. These Items foot up about 9142, 600. 900,
aud we baye, as tho result of tax intendod to
apply to oil property alike, tho following result
5sMas sna =, ;:,; na ~
Total auds and appurteuanees... 81 oi9. $40 ?og
All other personal property. goo
These, with tho aGo000,000 valuation Of rail-
roads, mako up the aggregate valuation OF real
aud peraoual property subject to taxation In Il.
linols.
It will be seou, therefore, that, although the
actual Of the personal property In tho State
Ia equal to that OF tho landa. the lands will
tho livestock and other appurtenancoa rAy TEN.
TwELr1us Of all tho taxes collected In this State
for all PURPOSES and that, despite tho brist1ine
array Of oaths and penalties, aud grants Of az
bitrarY power and anmmary process, the 300 ol
900 Asaeseors cannot And OF the farms in all Il
linois moro than sl45, 600 Of personal prop
orty. Talfing tho estimated and actual return,
of taxes lowed and co1leoted for 1870, II, ~
aud 70, we have the startling exhibit Of who pa,
tho taxoB III Illinois;
Whole tnx for four yoarB. .$l0o $40 ea
Paid by lots, lanau md fnrua propesty... ol6lloH
paia by al ether personal property....S 1906, 20
1alt not tlnao to arrcW this injustice which
eating tho very substance of the producing
, clsHaos We submit to tho Farmors' Conyen
ton that hore Ia grievance that far exceeds any
, thing complained Of In tho way Of railroad ex
, tortlon. Hero Ia the ta1.gstllorer demanding @
tue owners OF ouo-half tho property Of the Stat
, e215 cents out OF ovory dollar OF tax loyied an
! collected, Fortunately the Constitution admits
' authorizes, and directs remedy tor tllis q
. troardinary inequality. It provides that th
. Legislature may tax yalloty Of occupation
4 named therein by ueeuse aad otberHiso aud ta
. railroads. expreas companies, aud tolegrAp
!, companies upon their gross receipts. aud 4
b other persons aud companies uaine fsar
y ch,sss And spsalal privileges. upon aalsa ~
D p*aath ~ III h&ss pubQahsa ffota NM