Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-03

bound to pay ought to be certain and
not arbitrary, the time of payment, the
manner of payment and the quantity to
be paid ought all to be clear and plain
to the contributor and to every other
person.
%. Every tax ought to be levied at
the time and in the manner in which il
is most likely to be convenient for the
contributor to pay it.
a. Every tax oughtto BE- so contriyed
as both to take out and keep out of the
pockets of the people as little as pos
siole over and above what it brings into
the public treasury Of the State"
as to the first of these maxims | have
only to mention the case of the govern.
Hent bondholders to show how it has
been dlsregarded in the United States,
However | am glad to see som legislation
at present loeking to the collection of an
income tax by the general government,
which suppose will fit the case of these
gentlemen. As to ourfown State of Ten
n%essee, don't suppose one could find
any where the system OF taxation, or
rather the system of collection. in a
worse middle. AS an instance of how wa
have dlsreearded the fourth of these
msxlms, we have no less than four tax
collectors on real estate at the present
time, and in fact a man don'tknow when
be has got all his bills, having so MANY
different collectors to interview, and as
one of the citizens of the State of Ten.
sessee, | think it would be far cheaper
and better both for the State and its citi.
zens that there should be only one col.
lector for all taxes, due and past due.
as to our system of assessment of
property for taxation, it is a failure, for
the property is always assessed at really
less than one half its real value, and
avowedly done so by the assessor for the
purpose OF eyading the payment of a
larger tax, and on the plea that the other
sections OF the State are so assessed. and
we can get even in no other way. Yet
the law contemplates the assessment Of
all property at its rel value, aud these
assessors take an oath that they will.
without fear or favor, honestly discharge
Their duties as such.
We have also in Tennessee a feature
IN the assessment law which | cons;der
very Injurious and impolitic, and that ia
the exemption of $1,000 Worth Of personal
property in the hands of every tax.
payer.
This very law is the cause or reason
why there Is never any personal prop
erty listed on the tax books. If the Leg.
l%slature desires to benefit a poor a
mechanic or farmer, let it exempt his
tools or implements and probably a few
articles OF household furniture from tag.
alton; but let the articles be specified as
they are in the statutes exempt from
execution, and then you have an suuit.
able Jaw. But don't offer a premium to
dishonesty by e%xemptipg $1,000 worth of
personal property, because you hardly
ever hnd a man who gives in over $1,000.
though at the moment of making the
assessment he may have diamonds ON
his person which cost double the sum. l
have seen this thing done right here in
the city of Memphis, and know whereof
| speak.
No. | say let all property be assessed
at its real value for taxation, both real
and personal. Let there be no exemp.
ton at all, unless probably a mans tools
and a few articles such as are exempt
from execution, and | predict that taxa.
ZION would not be halt so b~urdensome in
Tennessee. Further, ia view of the fact
that nearly all taxation ad valorem
eventually becomes an indirect tag. the
landlord making his tenant pay higher
rent, and the manufacturer aud merchant
adding to the price of their wares. In
order to make the taxation uniform I
would consider that it would work ad.
v%antageously ia Tennessee to levy an in
come tax upon all incomes Of a certain
liked amount and over, the same being
according to a graduated scale.
l have advanced these ideas moi with
the expectation of teaching anything
upon the subject of taxation to the
members OF this Association, but with
the hope of having furnished you with
ny share of the evenings entertain,
ment, and also of directing the attn.
ton of some members ADLER than m,sself
to this most important problem Of The
day.