The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-07-10
E0aLOL TOEOtIO3a.
From the Frederick Examiner.


From the Frederick Examiner ~
Now that the Democratic party ii n ged in |
q wild, not to say disgraceful, st ~, over
the Governorship of the State, wou & not be
well if the Republican party were to Mdvant-
age OF the opportunity in order to Wlethng
in the interest of the people The blicans
have but little interest in the quarr' present
going on in the Democratic camp, an leaders
of the Democracy themselves have IN it ex-
cept to advance their own individual ,5emes -
The good Of the people with them is Boundary
consideration they are after the en- lents of
the Office uOt caring continental J --the peo-
pie fare after they get them.
1t matters but little, SO far as the % of the
masses are concerned which Of the Mants are
elected Governor-whetber it be Hsmilton, Car
roll or Groome. There is a matter in which the
people have a much greater interest, and one that
has much greater demand upon their attention.
We mean the tax question.
Last week we published a communication on
the subject, in the course of which the writer Of
fered some valuable suggestions. One OF these
suggestions was the passage by the next Legisla-
ture of a law taxing incomes ON nen-taxable Sc
curities and preventing hereafter the issuing of
non-taxable bonds either by the State, the coun-
ties or municipalities. In addition to this, it is
suggested that the law exemptng churches and
other Institutions, not belonging to the State,
county or municipality, be repealed.
There is not one man in ten in the State who
would object to such Legislation. Everybody
sees and feels the necessity, and more 80 now
than ever, Of doing something towards equalizing
our taxes 1t is not right that the rich man
should be furnished loop hole through which
to escape taxation, while the laboring man, the
farmer, and the mechanic are compelled to pay
taxes in full proportion to the declared value of
their property. 1t is not necessary for us to null
tiply words in order TO prove that the demands
of Justice require an equal distribution of the
burdens incident to the support OF the State,
county and municipal governments, but the diff
Guilty is, and always has been, the people are
careless about the matter. They agree with US
that it is unfair and unjust to tax one mau and
permit another to escape, but when 1t comes to
electing the men who are to make our laws, the
subject is lost sight Of and the successful candi-
dates are so absorbed in furthering schemes of
their own or Of their party, that nothing is done
in the way Of relieving the taxpayer. Every
thing is made subservient to their own or party's
interest, and year after year goes BY without
| having anything done to lessen the taxes. Two
| wears ago the matter was talked about during
the campaign, but when the Legislature met, in
| stead of extending the basis of taxation an at
tempt was made to contract it by the passage Of
| an act exempting from taxation more property
| than had ever been exempted before, but fortu-
nately for our taxpayers the law was so ridicu-
| lousy drawn up that it was declared null and
| void and the army of assessors appointed under
it had to 60 without their per diem. And so it
will be the next time the Legislature meets, if the
people are not careful enough to send to Annap-
| oils only such men as are known to be in favor
of equal taxation, and who can be relied upon to
| carry out the wishes of their constituents after
they get there. We cannot rely upon the poiti-
clans, for they don't care for any body but them
| selves. Nor can we rely upon the men who are
now quarreling and wrangling over the Guber-
material contest. They all have axes to grind,
and one of the results of their grinding, if they
are permitted to 60 unchecked, will be the still
| further grinding down of the people with the bur-
dens of taxation. The people must take the mat
ter in their own hands, and until they do SO they
cannot expect to End relief from the unjust and
ubiquitous determinations OF our present tax laws
Our correspondent also indicates another way
by which the burdens of taxation can be tighten
| ed, and that is by an economical and honest ad
ministration in every department of the State
county and municipal governments. This is very
| true, but like all other reforms it cannot be &C
complished without the cooperation OF the PEG
pie. What can we expect from the domnan
party OF the State? 1t has had supreme contro
ever since 1867, but what has 1t done towards
|
what has it done toward bringing about more
economical and honest administration Of our pub
lie affairs? Nothing. On the contrary they
have raised our taxes, and set examples of ex
travagance and corruption that no party excep
the Democratic party, would have dared TO at
tempt. 1t is Of no use, therefore, to look for re
form from this quarter. The people must dives
it of politics. There are no political questions tt
be adjusted. They have all long since been set
tied. The tax question is matter of business
and the sooner it is taken from the hands of poll
ticans, the sooner will we arrive at satisfactory
solution of 1t. Let the Democrats have the Gov
ernor let them have the Attorney General ant
the Comptroller, too, with the Sheriff and Mayo
Of Baltimore thrown in, but for the sake of com
mon justice let vs. have Legislature the mex
time that will pay some regard to the wants O
the masses of the people, and who will not stol
to ask whether or not it would be popular to tai
go TO WORK ano tax everything that can be reach
ed, no matter whether it is q church, a pqrsonag
or a cemetery.