, 1877-03-17

1enS10uS are L0O8e WQu pta4A Ao *eeA~o So
those years, and even these can now escape
all possible additions md perils by going to
the County Clerks Office and paying what
they have SO unjustly withheld from the
public SO long. They can do this without
employing lawyer, and without cost or in
terest
Q Objection is made that the present
charter does not permit the city to make al
assessment equal to raising the needed reye-
nue. and that to avoid paying more than the
law permits requires an application to the
court for rebate. This does not affect any
person who has paid his taxes; it only ap-
plies to those who have not paid any taxes;
these are the only persons attempted to be
reached by the law. There are no - small
taxpayers" among this class; they are 81
owners of lnrge properties, many Of them
lawyers, and all of them may, if they want
to be honest, avoid the trouble of asking
rebate by paying their back taxes now.
3. An objection is that the proposed law
is not sufficient for the purpose, anti Is not
consistent with the General Revenue law, md
il enacted will fail Considering that this
objection is made by the persons who owe
the back taxes, its sincerity is obvious. All
these objections are made by the tax-ighters,
who want to compel other persons to pay
their taxes, and by attorneys employed by
them, and really, if this bill he Intellectual,
then they will gain the day. These gentry,
however, do not want any legislation.
!. The objection is made that before there
eau be IN appeal from judgment for back
taxes the amount of the tax must be de-
posted, therefore these back taxes must be
paid at the same time with current taxes,
aud no provision is made for paying in in
stall1nents. The taxes of 1875 were due III
1874, aud those for 18Th were duo in 1876.
Those who owe these taxes have Ind the use
of oue-half the money three years nnd OF the
other half for two years without interest,
though the city has been paying interest on
the deficiency during al that time. Who
shall pay the interest in the future e,-those
who owe the debt or the general public? If
the debtors cannot now pay the tax, they can
redeem the property within two years at the
mere cost OF interest Those who seek
equity must be equitable. They have had
2,5o0, 600 Of public money over two years
without interest, and now complain TINT
they will have to pay it or be compelled to
pay interest on it. The suggestion that
such q requirement. will crush any business,
or distress any business houses, is pure in.
vention. The resort to ta1-hglting is the
invention to escape paying an honest debt
due to the public Treasury on Which that
Treasury is paying heavy interest by
direct tax levied upon those who owe the
Treasury nothing.
5. The tax is lien on the property, md it
is objected TINT persons haye sold property,
assuring the purchaser that these back ta1es
could never be collected, and if this law
passes tho tax will be collectable. Persons
who have bough: property, knowing TINT
axes thereon had not been paid, and as
sumed the risk of being compelled to do SO,
regulated the price they paid !
oy the possibility Of future liability, and |
must abide by their bargain. If they played |
;aking the chances, they must abide the
osses.
Great stress is laid on the want of pro-
Vision allowing these back taxes to be paid !
n instaiiments. There is nothing in the law i
which prohibits any Of these delinquent |
paying his taxes on SO much !
If his property as he chooses. When he |
owns twenty pieces Of property and owes
Sc, GOO taxes, he can pay up, now in March,
il, 800, and redeem one-fourth of the prop |
'rty he can on the 1st Of July pay as much
more and SO on between now und septem-
'er pay of the whole debt, remembering |
hat by the time hc gets it ell paid he will ]
.ave had the use of the public money for
hrec years without interest.
While these objections are Of themselves
nsubstantial, and are made by the delin-
luents for the purpose Of defeating any
egislation on the subject, still the main
'oint sought is to secure such q law as will
lead to the recovery Of the back
axes. Any amendments which will remove
my reasonable objection, and leave the bill
dequate to the end sought, ought to be
made, and ne hope no objections will be
made to such amendments. The law is Of
'ital necessity, and my md all sacrifices,
hort Of giving up the bill, should be made
necessary to secure the enactment OF the
aW,