Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-04-26
TAXING PROPERTY.
what Was Thought About Equal
and Uniform - Taxation in the
Convention.


ex>Delegates, who urged the adoption OF
the new Constitution, denounced the new
features of the Bill of Rights as contained
in the proposed Constitution. l gave
some of their speeches in your issue or
Sunday. To-day l propose to show what
some of the admirers ol the new Cunsti'
tuition thought Of the Article on Revenue
ard Taxation, VIII lie the subject was un,
der discussion in the Convention, pass
ed over the intervening articles, for the
time being, because OF the general anxi
ETY. to know what these gentlemen
thought of this very important subject
We find under Article MIL:
Section l. All property in the State
not exempt under the laws of the United
States, shall be taxed in proportion to it,
value, to be ascertalned as prov ided by
Jaw. The word property as used il
this article and section, is hereby declar
ed to include moneys, credits, bonds
stocks, dues, franchises and other matter:
and things, real, personal and mi2ed
capable Of private ownership; pToUtded
that growing crops, property used ex'
cluslvely for public schools and such a:
NAV belong to the United States, this
State, or to any county or Municipal cor
poralion within this State, shall be ex.
empt from taxation. The Legislature
may provide, except in the case OF cred
its secured by mortgage or trust deed for
n deduction from credits of debts due {
bona ide residents of this State"
Section l was adopted without any dis,
cussinn whatever, and was not aiterward:
changed.
Afterwards Judge G.. A. johnson, oi
Sonoma, made an effort to amend thi.
section, and failed. johnson said 1.-THE
section (-eetion l, rs above), as it stands
was drawn quite hprriedly. This amend
ment is necessary to maksv the section
consistent with The other parts of the
Constitution. In the section AS it stand,
the definition OF property is not correct
g. w. Cross, Of Nevada City, said
The section rs it stands taxes miainp
property twice, and agricultural only
0nce.'
G. w. Cross " If the capital stock il
taxed, it would be unjust. 1t is double
taxation in every sense of the word. /
would be MS just TO put II tax upon deco
which represents a mans ownership tC
his land. 1t is not property. / is only
an evidence CT ownership"
NJ TT nF IL ,,;so
sought, but in vain to restole the words
"equal and uniform"
E>tee said " II these words of limita-
ton are left ont, the Legislature will
have power to exempt any class of prop
erty in the State. Upon that question OF
uniformity and equality tests the whole
system. 1t is in equality and the want
of conform ity that allows money and
property to hide. 1t is the very funda-
mental principle Of government that tax
alton should be equal and uniform"
Clitus Barbour (Workingman), OPP
posing uniform and equal taxation ~
said /: In the future it light be consd-
cred necessary. as matter of public
policy, to levy certain kind of tax, with
regard to the Limitation of land monopo
lv, or something else. A graduated tax
would not be eqaa and uniform, but il
Nigh: be deemed good public policy by
some future Legislature 20 reach land
monopoly"
p. T. bowling (Workingman), of San
Francisco, said The people OF thi.
country will never be satisfied with equal
and uniform taxation. There is no such
thing a. equal taxation. We must have
progressive and graduated taxation. A
man who has 81 900 ought to pay more
on each thousand than the man who ha:
only one. The theory of equal and uni
form taxation is monstrous."
p. M. WelIen (Workingman), Of Ssn
Francisco, said 4" L wanta system o
graduated taxation. 1.-THE Workingmer
get control of the State, we will have d
system of graduated taxation."
Gen. Volney E. Howard (?), of Los
Angeles, said THE longer the Con
vention debates the subject, the less sense
it gets"
William F. White (Workingman), Of
Santa Cruz, said Il want the discus.
sion stopped. The subject has been gone
over So often that everybody is tired OF
it,"
John NJ. Rhodes, of Yolo, said /: 81
am not willing to tax the capital stock
of corporations. Capital stock is only
the shadow OF substance, and | would
as soon think of taxing the shadow OF
house. Such tax would be nothing
less than penalty. ."-S. f. CAL, April
l5.