The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-07-23
WESTMINSTER, MD.
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
Benefits of the Tax commissioners Office.

Benefits of the Tax Commissioners Office.
The establishment of the Office of State
Tax Commissioner was one of the best acts
of the Legislature of 1878. The assess
ments by that officer have added in the
neighborhood Of S15,000,000 to the tax
able basis in the State, increasing the
States revenue some $4,000 or $4,000,
besides adding largely to the revenues OF
the cities and counties of the common
wealth. Corporations that had, by hook
or crook, evaded paying their due proper
ton to the support of government, have
been sought out, assessed and made to
contribute, as was their duty under the
law. The latest corporations forced to
pay taxes were the Baltimore city sheet
railway companies. For twenty years they
had paid only the ozark Tax" They
were assessed under the laws of 1866 and
1876, but managed to be released through
the Appeal Tax Court When the office
of State Tax Commissioner was establish
ed, Commissioner Woolford assessed them.
The companies resisted payment, and the
matter was taken to the courts. The
Court of Appeals finally decided the issue
on June 30th, and sustained the Tax
Commissioner. The effect Of the decision,
according to the Baltimore Sun, will be
to add some forty or fifty thousand dollars
to the Baltimore city treasury for the years
1879 and 1880, and to add considerable to
the States revenue. The court further
decided that the shares of stockholders not
residing in the State of Maryland were
taxable in Baltimore.
The revenue laws of the State need
some amendment to make the Commits
sioners Office more effective It was pur-
posed to secure this legislation at the ses-
sion Of 1880, but the advocacy of mort
gage tax by the Commissioner brought
down the opponents Of such measure,
headed by Governor Hamilton, upon the
Commissioner, aud they sought revenge
upon him by an efTortto abolish the office
These, aided by the corporations that had
been forced By the Commissioner 10 pay
taxes justly due, SO disconnected the rev.
enue reformers that their energies were
diverted from needed amendments to
the laws relating TO revenue TO main
tanning the office. At the next session
these same people viii again attack the
Office, but Legislature should be chosen
pledged to its continuance, and pledged to
the passage of laws requiring every person
holding property ia this State TO contribute
his proportion for the support of govern
men,, according to his actual worth in real
and personal property, as the constitution
makes obligatory. One Of the objections
10 Dir. Heating, by those who sought his
overthrow, was his advocacy of tax upon
mortgages, aud beeause Tax Commission
er Woolford is also an advocate of mort
gage tax, is why the same Individuals
would ike his Office abolished. To have
tbei- mortgages exempt, they would strike
down faithful officer, abolish his Office,
and let large, wealthy and prosperous cor
porations 90 exempt froui taxation.
To the abolishment Of Tie Tax Commis-
sioner's office, the energies of mortgage
holders and large corporations viii be bent
next winter, but their failure viii be signal
If the people are careful to elect men to
the Legislature who viii represent their
views The people of Maryland, as far as
We can ascertain public opinion, are well
nigh unanimous 10 favor Of taxing mort
cages, in some form or other, and none, We
take It, except corporations themselves,
are willing to pay Of their means for the
maintenance Of the State government
whilst corporations are exempt aud add to
their paying dividends large amounts which
should go as taxes into the State treasury.
= ...d H.. A. Ca,l,lir, viii not