, 1876-01-09
2R!CH TAXATION,
TIE ETiL AND TIE REMEDY.

/ l.
| To TIE Editor of The Chicago tribune:
| CHICAGO, Jun. 8.-If our taxes arc 10. ~
reasonably high VIC ought to ray them x;i..,.
9runbling. II they arc oppressiTely he.y, ;.
ought to go to work with ao energy aud H.,
| minatloo that knows no sucn woEd IS faiu,, :
reduces them &c : reasonable auaunt.
ARE THEY EXCESSIVE?
I think they are. for the following reasons:
Ftrsk-You have shoTo that between 1sS1 ri
! 1874 population increased 2G2 per cent mi
presume property IN about the Same ratio, xhs
city taxes have increased 1854 per csasl
know Of no sound principle Of political ecoon,,
that ehoatd allo tA1atlon to N :relse 10 erer
er ratio than Population and wealth. Tia ~.
mrcirv tia. toerates It is hastsD1n. to ueca7.
Seconl-Ihe princioa! burden Of ta1aaoa
and ougn: t. be. horue bv ths resi- es:ate of h.
CITY. But ut the plesen: time the real e.t,,as
this city is producing oa "a average oulY ah,s
ona-half the rents y;elasd ny i: in 1372 No d.
dsuats that iu 1872 our t. ies were high oao7y
for comfort. How, then, is i: possi5Ie 70, I,
peop'e to c3nrlEuo to pay the same ta1es oatas
the rental value:
Itmay be raid TINT the city needs Just II
much money in bard times as ID Rom
A family accustomed to afllueu,e asei
Just 81 much moaev in bad Eaa
as IN good, bu: should they, therefore. .es:rs
robbery and oppression, to get tho rooaeye
rather 1e:rench their expenses Private d
rous are obliged TO retrench. II pu5:ic cosro.
t;oas do not rs1rench unoef such cIrc1ms.:aaas
they are guilty of robbery, aDd 10 peopia saoaI
submit to be robbed.
HOW DoHs IT AFFECT roo1 MEN?
Poor mea ara gene-liiv good voieza. Thya
not shirk this duty III nl1nr rica meu do. Il sha
cau be ehoSn what is TO. .Ls;- Interest they n
1nts
poor man buys lot in q gro...ay city on hz
and by industry and e:oaony pays |.
i: in the coarsa OF few yua
By the tine i. ia paid b.,
it has increased ii. yaluo so rs to Ee vua
$4,000. This is too much capital to lie ida :
be burrows 5000 to erect q ato1e On bin k
This be ren.s for at least ~ paE cant or sL51
taxes. and l1aya $500, or $500 clear. Bur hi
times come. and his rent falls to $1,000. Of Iz
His interest o. $500 has to bo paid, and he b
oulj $500 left. II taxes advances as rents b
clue they will soon meel in the rpidIie, and b
owner IS wipe6 out, Still tho property viii HI
care Of itself. though it does not yield anY i
conla to the owrer, and he may comfort hims.
him relief. Eut nov suppose hs ts
ant il also taxed beyond enduHa
Tie store il empt5; there Is no income Ia
which to pa7 either interest or taxes, aadt
owner is bankrupt. Now multiply this eaast
tbouea DDS, and what is the elfecs on tha m
man? All these landlords, tenants, their ia
sud enp'oyes, who but for excessive ta1m
would be comparatively we'll of aud weIa
plosed, are added to the great army OF tbep
employed. and are forced to compete foI !
ecantv employment and wages OF the poor NJ
Is this for The adv vantage OF the poor n.n?
Again: high taxes drive away man1facr1
which would afford employment ard good u,H
fer yast amounts ct skilled and uoskilIed hA
Is shat for the advantage OF poor men =: T.
Again: High taxes dep: ess rents and disar