, 1876-12-30
OBSTACLES TO TRUE REFORM.
N thA Eftifot 1f 1,he I'fihunA

CHICAGO, Dec. a7.-Thc subject of reforming
our Revenue laws IL dcserveoly attracting deal
Of attention. It scc,ua t0 be aeBnnlcd, be-
carsu the Cl,izchs' Association has talscu hold
Ol tho matter, TINT, therefore, tho desired re-
form will be accomplished. Taking their will
for the decd, anl II would undoubtedly DO done.
but to sccurc absolute perfection our worthy
Mayor Heath invites the City Attorneys OF sl1ty
different Illinois cities, each to prepare bill
and meet together In Springfield and compare
them, combining the good points III nil. 1t Is
The popular impression that any good lawyer
can draft good Revenue Law. Nothing Is more
absurd. Though 1t should not be 30, II Is ncysr-
tlccss the fust that, Of Mll lawyers ~ poltti-
clans occupying the positions Of city At
torneys nre tile poorest qualified for intrl-
cate work. The Mayor appeara to believe that
u Revenue law with ons band tied behind him,
! aud that When tho wfiole Ute sEukeu together
VIC wilt have II sure thing!
Some lawyers are gu0d for one thing anti some
for Auothcr aill MOru Gro good for nothing,
They pay few taxcs and know very little Of rax
laws. Their learning aua their tastes rln In
other directions, which pay thc'n better: Now,
the writer hns l'ad, opportunoly, y oil adjoining
lnws and simplifying and rendering certain
their operation ttiun aily 1U0 Of tic best lawyers
In Illinois, md more tim, all the City Attorneys
that ever infested our State, and hence assumcs
| to speak OIL tho subject th the light u long
! study mud practical observation.
Theories ol taxation arc numerous. You can
nnd them IN any corner GROCERY. IheoFics as t"
the colcetton OIL taxes arc scarcely !esa 30.
should be, or how II should 10 enforced, anil
this is the reason why the Revenue laws of oil
tho States, but Of Illinois must u al arc so Ill
congruous, absurd, anu lnenlccht. Uncc IN
thoroughly competent Revenue law. and II Is pre-
sut,tcd 10 tllo Legislature, Tom, Dick, and The
pcyil, 1ncnioefs o tae onosaple poay, aa IN
duty bound prcscnt tiloir peculiar iaeas ~ tic
cnccs arc had to comnittees, conferences SIT o.,
the disagreement between the Houses and
when the bill passes, Il II docs so at all y ms
Dctn &c. utterly "0nildozea" thnt neither
officers, lawyers, or Jnuses cat my more thnf
alike. That is what is the matter with Our
Revenue laws.
~ tie 70 e. aS e Me
passed. N9w, is there remedy lor t',ssc ~
ilgultles1 There ls, but not ono ever likely To
be adopted. Any tirst-clAss businessman A.
custonicd to managing and kceplng u hand I,
large private business establishment, II he will
give the subject careful attention, can tlcvisc q
simple, economical, lust. practical, a'lu rg!lan,o
revG,s,,o systcnl. 1t does not require hall TIC
Lit Ioitcr a IN runniuE hs store, Or ot Mr Gass il
managing the First National, Lot suel, q man
outli,lo the practlcnl system he would hayc fol-
luwed. Then idt some ono sound, practical law lay
yrr,witl good business sense aud cure Of DETAILS
rcducp that system 10 lay under our constita-
ti0nnb provisions, aud let tho Legislature pass 1t
a4 drawn, AMI tho work ~ done. What
wof b. oet.c, PS's!he n Sa..opS woa 20 20 @
qualifications, Us wcll as lcgal lcarill,g. to Ito
huwlulc work; but hucl1 lawyers are rurc. Onc
auclI man, laden With tho responsibility, would
tirnt, thoughtful work OF months to perfect
everything, but IL would be, utter al!, Ill tn.