The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-09
The Problem OF Taxation.

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The multiplicity Of propositions TO
change the tax laws at Boston, this win.
ter, shows the rawness Of public feeling
on the subject and the failure Of the tax
commission Of two years ago to satisfy
the popular demand. The taxation Of
mortgages is the most general grievance.
Mr.. Mobiles proposition, however, to ex-
empt real estate to the amount Of the
mortgages on il, is in the wrong dircc.
tion. The unmistakable tendency Of tax
science is to tax the visible and exempt
the invisible property, for the very sim
pie reason that the visible cannot be hid
den, while the invisible can be. Mr.. No
ble's bill, il enacted, would relieve the
bulk OF our real estate from taxation and
send the assessors hunting up Tom, Dick
and Harry, mortgages, whom they might
be able to catch and might not. In the
end nothing would be gained, for the rate
OF interest on mortgages would rise 10
cover the tax. We can see no satisfactory
solution OF the mortgage problem, except
the exemption Of all personal property,
which would simply secure TO all the
benefit OF an exemption now enjoyed by
many through fraud and deceit. By lie.
galizing the exemption Of mortgages, the
real estate owner could probably secure
in the long run corresponding advan-
tage in the rate OF interest.
There is also proposition to vary the
poll-tax with the local rate OF taxation.
This would be preferable to our present
system, which gives the poll.tax-payers no
interest at all in local expenditure, but
we believe that the completcst solution Of
this whole matter is the abandonment OF
the poll.tax and the taxation OF real
estate and rents for all municipal pur-
poses and no other. Let the State give
up nominally, as it already has practical
", its Estate tax" and derive all its re-
venue, as it now does really, from the
corporation tax. Then let il abandon
the poll.tax and all attempt to tax person.
al property, for, when the corporations
are taxed mortgages are about the only re-
naming form OF personal property liable
to taxation. Then throw the whole mu.
nicipal taxation on the real estate and
rents, every citizen being compelled TO
pay on the actual rent, or fair valua.
tion Of the rent, OF the premises occupied
by him, according to the local rate OF
taxation.
This system more than satisfies Adam
Smiths four canons OF taxation. 1t is
cheap, because it Is always easy TO assess
and collect taxes on real property; It
would be difficult OF evasion, because il
would not attempt 10 tax anything which
could be concealed; nearly all municipal
expenditure is for the development and
protection Of real estate, and It is emf
nently philosophical to put the local tax
on real estate; finally, it would establish
a vital and sensitive connection between
every mans pocket and the city hall, or
selectmen's office, a connection which un-
does not always exist at the
time. Increase in the municipal
would be felt by every ten.
ant in the city, no matter how small his
proportion OF tax, and We believe that
every voter, at least, should occupy just
that sensitive relationship TO municipal
administration.