Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-06-11

The Farmers and Taxation.
Among the questions which are en-
tering into the politics Of illinois, none
is more important than the stand the
farmers will take touching the present
system of taxation. 1t is quite prob
able the landowners, the farmers, will
insist upon an entire revolution of the
present revenue system. On this issue
the farmers can make a strong point,
and it looks as if they We're disposed to
avail themselves of the opportunity to
do so. From a statement prepared for
the Chicago Tribune it appears that the
assessed value of personal property and
real estate fixed by the State Board of
Equalization in Illinois, last year, was
81 ,256. los, 514. This is less than an
average of 80 per cent. of the actual
value of real and personal property in
that State. Thus it appears that the en-
tire cash value of the property of Illinois
is about $4,000, 100000. 1t is further
asserted that the values of the real and
the personal property are about equal.
But the assessors have not found all
the personal property. The taxes,
therefore. are collected as follows On
land, 1882, 416, 667 town and city lots,
1917, 1879, 2S5; railroad lands, 81, 2O1,-
652; on railroad lots, Sc, 122 ,598,
making the total taxable values of real
estate amount to 1907, $40, 202. OF
personal property the assessors have
found only S2S7, 292, SO9; railroad per-
sonal property, 81, 800, 094; railroad
track and rolling stock, $59, 81, 400,
making the total value of all personal
property only S34S, 165, 312.
This shows great inequality in the
taxes paid on real and personal prop
erty by the taxpayers of that State.
1t will be seen by comparing the above
statements that lands are taxed at 20
per cent. of their full value, while per-
sonal property is taxed only at 26 per
cent. of its actual value. There is,
too, to take into consideration the fact
that every acre of land, no matter where
it may be situated, is assessed and
taxed. 1t cannot be hidden from the
assessors. But this is not all. The
consequence is that every horse, hog,
COW, sheep, sewing-machine, reaper,
cultivator, planter, mower, or any other
agricultural implement is put down on
the assessors books and the collector
gathers a revenue from them.
Of the personal property on which
the agricultural class pay taxes in that
State, We find that the horses are S48,-
100000; cattle, S36, 900, 900; mules and
asses, 100000; hogs, 81, 00O, 900 ;
sheep, $4,000 wagons, $4,000, 600 ;
sewing-machines, largely found in the
country, 81, 500, 900 agricultural nipple
ments, $4,000, 900; household furniture,
S12, 900, 900; clocks, watches and other
property, 100000 making in all
S142, 900, O00-which deducted from the
whole value of the personal property,
leaves enly the small amount of $685.
1885, as the value of property on
which revenue is paid which does not
at ali concern the agricultural classes.
The landed interests of the State pay on
property of the approximate value OF
81, 049, $40, 202. This, of course, in
cludes the S142, 900, 900 of personal
property set down as pertaining to this
interest.
The injustice of this apportionment
is apparent at glance. The estimated
value of the farms and lands, lots, etc.,
is only equal to the approximate value
of the personal property owned in the
State. Yet, under the revenue system
now in force, the real-estate owners
pay ten-twelfths of the taxes of the
State.
If there is not some reason for the
farmers moving to relieve themselves OF
this unequal and burdensome yoke, we
are at loss to know what it requires to
constitute motive for agitation. And
in this we see the germs of argument
which, once properly placed before the
people, will lead to complete revolu-
ton in the fiscal systems adopted by
States. The subject is one of great i'm
portance, not only to the people of
illinois, but all the Western States.
And such facts as these in the hands of
the farmers and landholders will be ter
rible weapons in the coming political
campaign in that State.-&. Louis Re
publican.