Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-04-26
DISHONEST TAXATION.

I II IANClrCo .OulUHl "H'NH '@P'"'" '"'7N
sections by quitting the speeches ot Dele
J gates now advocating the New C0nstitu-
/ tion. made in the Convention when the
several taxation provisions were under
discussion. That double taxation must
inevitably result from their adoption. all
then seemed to admit, and thi, has since
been thoroughly established. In some
instances even treble taxation Is not only
possible but certain. Take the Gaze Of
some of our Trriiy County people who
have money on deposit in the Hiherna
or some other city Savings Bank THESE
" III be taxed in Trinity County upon
every dollar they have so depos ted,
" hich is tax No. l the Hibcrria Bank
will be taxed in San Francisco upon the
mortgage it has taken from the party 70
4 whom the same money has been loaned,
making tax No. .; ard it is well known
thst the money Itself ~i.l be taxed @her-
ever found, which is the third time and
the charm which attracts many who have
no money 10 deposit or be taxed to the
support Of the New Constitution. An
other illustration IS that which texe, all
the property Of mining, manufacturing
and other Incorporated companies Mt its
fun cash value, and ,hen take, the certi,
icstes Of stock which simply represent
that property. The unfsirness Of such
system must be manifest even to the
most obtuse understanding. The only
parallel to this-and It should hive been
incorporated in the New Constitution to
make it, provisions would be
10 tax a mans house and hot and then
tax his title deed tax hi. horse or COW
and then tax his bin Of sale tax hi. poll
and then tax his shadow. ii is probable
the Convention would have gone so far. I
only that this would have been in y
measure equal and unif1rm taxation. and
they did not propose to commit them
selves to any such system Ifthey did, .
why Were the words equal and uni
form the very essence Of jl.t and
equitable ta&ation-strichen from the
Taxation Article, and rejected by a de- .
ci>ive vote when proposed rs an amend /
ment? Men were found IN that body .
who went 50 far Ms TO say there ought 10 .
be no cqunl and uritorm tnNation Tba,
venerable fossil Vo'ney +. Howard.
even maintained Tint double TAXATION
was justi Dear reader, do you believe
that it Is just? Are you willing to have
your property taxed once and tht Of /
your neighhor taxed twice, because il +
happens to be of n different chnHcler (
If you are, let us reverse the question aud /
pu; yourselfin his place. Would you be (
willing to have your property taxed twice I
or thrice, while that Of your neigh0or Is /
only taxed once o. course, You would T
not. 1t i, unjust, unfair and even dis
honest to advocate and support system
under which such things Hre even possible,
let alone plainly provided for. Every
nan who Believes in that Golden Rule Of
doing unto others As you would have
others do unto you, will aclnow led e. the
unfairness of double taxation and must
vote aRninst the New Constitution or do
violence TO his own honest sentiments.
Graduated taxation 10 which the New
Constitution paves the way, j, equally as
vicious il not worse than douLle taxa
ton. The absence of the words equal
aud uniform makes It possible to con
hseate all property beyond a certain poin.,
which may be placed far or noar at The
caprice Of the Legislature. Let US sup,
pose a case, and n very plausible one. III
the hearney party succeeds in adopting /
the New Constiiution-aud /: is the only ,
party pledged to its support-they will /
undoubtedly cary the State at The Fail I
election and secure a majoritY oflhe ueXt
Legis stature. Before going further, it
must be lclnem bercd that the New Con.
sutution contains three iourths of the
hearney platform and that party prom
ises to make the other fourth effective lust
MS soon as It gets in power Very well:
The New Constitution has no check on
AgrHrianism or the distribution OF wealth.
Undor 1t there is nothing 20 compel
- equal ana uniform taxation" A law
Is passed providing for Graduated Taxa
t"n--a very pleasing title, by The way
The owner OF 81 coo is taxed 2 per cent.
which is less than the average Of taxes IN
this State at the present time. This
seems fair enough, and is in fact gain
to him who has only 81 GOO or less. But
a Grad"tion is established beyond TINT
peint. The'second thousand is taxed 4
per cents the third, s per cent; the
fourth, l6per cent the eth, 80 per cent
the sixth, GA per cent; and the seventh
thousand dollars which a man may have
accumulated by years Of honest toll md
stringent economy is taxed 100 per cent
In other words it is confscated under the
pernicious system Of graduated taxation
allowed by the New Constitution and No
man IN California will be permitted to
own more than SG,G0O worth Of property !
Or course il may never become So had /
bui It Is possible and Gad knows that is /
b"d enough. Whether the limit is plac. |
ed at six thousand dollars or At six mil, |
lion dollars makes no difference the
priFciple IS the same- that i if there i, |
any principle about such heinous pro,
vision. We believe all such systems an,
qualified ly wrong aud dishonest. Every /
dollar IN property should ba taxed, bat /
equally and uniformly. The man who
owns n farm, u mining cairn, hou-e,
horses, cHttle or other stock. or other
property worth 81 coo should be taxed on
that amount just The same as the man
who has 81 600 in bank, in mining stocks.