, 1876-02-10
THE TAXATION QUESTION.

10 the Euf{Jf n} lAs Lfteu4o iF7o"'N'
Cu1cAuo, Feb. o.-Tho OWLS from tho present
administration Of tue Tax Laws, causing gteat
agitation and anxiety upon tho subject, do not
nppoar to laye caused examination Of thor
eourco nor suggestion Of any proper remedy.
Tho agstatng Drills arc: ny exccssise taxation,
In u time Of financial depression, when proRofty
Ia uoitlor romuuorAtye nor advancing, by which
n,any owners OF property arc brought to distross,
aud lu Bono casea to ruin: {2) uhetlua1 taxation,
by which many owncra Of persouai property hnd
capital Are taxed above MI proportion TO she'r
uciqhbors, aud many nre taxed Ut anch rate III
Ia causo great hardship; (3) All empty CITY
Treasury and MI unlawful floating debt. a,nonnt-
ing to nearly q 6o0. 900. aboSo lawful bonded
debt OF %13,457,o00; "a a false inventory OF
rosoufcos for tue payment OF dolts md expcnBes
which annually increases and uuw h'iiolnid to
s.2l2mo (a threatened mun!c1lat , .a saspen- spna
tionA OF government are stopped: utaer OWLS
wLiuh have beeu considered great have fallen ill.,
to The background. booaasa ecltpacd by theso.
Amy psisAtc porson III tue hatnG eltuauon ~
op,bnrl Asamont With tho city would look thb ut
uation fairly In tho face would Know ita
causes aud would 1nd roucdy that should bo
not Temporary, but complete.
For excessive taxation "e must III Pa1s tiaha
tho Btkto Board of Equalization, and, as no
havo no remedy 10 the courts. We Should nys'
tuatically and pcrststently seek tho eradication
| Of tl,Rt Board by legislation. We must support
| all nropes methods 10 obtain equality hetwean
lilo various parts OF tho state IN paying the Just
| rrol,ortion OF State taxes. But Al it ~ not
nrorof nor safe to leave tho adjustment OF that
nulsaity to tho caprice or interest OF poAticAl
budy wholly irresponsible II iss action; that
body should be abolished. The inequality of
| tlo present system OF BtAtn taxation IL temon"
atratea bv tho fact that while Cook County pays
! ous. fourth OF tho 6tAt0 taxes. nearly one
fourth Of tho area Of taxable laud out.
sido of Cook Connly wholy escapes tue
paylnent Of any taxcs, and BY tho other
fact that wha brought promincntly 70 the notice
Of tho supreme Court 1t the time of the hdst
Hoard OF Equalization to be t11el ~ s5I in
Wabash Countv. $50 In Stephenaon. e2i5 III
Bureau, and 9l6S In Cook. and that thcrc was
rot thun and ID not now In tho whole ataso o!
Illinois = snge csao wl,ere tho Assessor Aau
douo ha duty aud determined tho true valae OF
nxoparty where those valuAtlons lava not beon
olange4 from tho true value. Tho state ta1
forms comparatively small item. and the s1'
cessve lew III thus county probably docs nor ea'
Good s350.0 900.
one Of our expensive burdens is what IL known
NJ toxnulllp organization. The Supreme Court
| has eyaaed Al examination OF Tue subject a'se
! LIS kgsestod that thls oouatY IN undor that or
gauizatlon, though nulther that Court nor Al,
tere0p oatside 1f il has attempted to glvo I
| raAs1n for tue opinion. Cook County was ullue
| this form Of organization. but tha ConAetutot
which permitted 1t, aud every syllable o
ths statute under which u Waa 30 o.
Rlnizcd, have bean repealed, without
saving olsuae. Cook Count has been organizes
! under new Constitution aud 4 nov statute, Q