Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-06
TuoSday Evening. sept, 8. 1851.
THE PENDING QUESTION OF STATE
TAXES.
FIsHERvILLE, SHELBY Co., Tenn.

BASKERVILLE, SHELBY Co., TESNr
August 81, 1881.
EDITOR LEDeEE-In your paper o. the
Both inst you say 10 the taxpayers pay
your taxes. In the first place, we have
nothing to pay with. In the next place,
we are not willing to pay anything until
the Supreme Court saws the zoos act shall
stand. Will you be kind enough 10 in
form your readers whether o. not We can
be forced to paw anything under the pres
emf cireumstancas? Our crops viii b.
very short l shall get about f5ar bsle Of.
cotton of 80 acres. Nine i AZ average
crop not enough corn i uisad - last
through the winter THIS Civil District
1.-THE Ninth votes for no nan fhat voted
for the infamous zoos act
ASUBscEmEE
The LEDGER advised the people to
pay their taxes ifthsy could possibly
raise the money, in order to avoid the
penalties that would be charged to
delinquents. Penalties have already
accrued upon all State and county tax
payers, who have failed to pay
up for 1880 by the last day Of August
past. And those who do not pay up
for 1881 by the last day Of next month,
will become as liable for heavy penal
ties as for the taxes on the first OF
November. There is a great hard
ship in having to pay two years
taxes in one, especially as a disastrous
drought has struck the State, and a
greater part of the country at large.
The rate Of taxation for 1880 for
State purposes was twenty cents, half
this going for school purposes. That
is a very low rate Of taxation, and as it
is for the year that has gone by, tax
payers could not we'll ask for further
pOstponement. The majority can pay
this, if anything at all, especially
when it is kept in mind that one thou
sand dollars worth Of personal property
is exempt in the hands Of taxpayers.
This money is actually needed to pay
the ordinary expenses Of the State,
and to pay the teachers Of our common
schools. 1t will be absorbed for these
purposes, aud cannot go into the nav
Of the bondholder, or to carry out the
1908 act.
This act, we believe to be a glaring
outrage, which should be resisted by
all means within the law and the
power Of the people. Its constitu-
tionality has been questioned, and will
be tested in the Supreme Court But
the court does not meet at Nashville
until December, and then the case
may not be advanced on the docket
Meanwhile all who fail to pay the
new rate Of taxation, forty cents
now, by the frsi of November, will
be liable to heavy penalties and costs.
There is no escape from this except
through a called session Of the Legis
lature, which might postpone the
present collection of taxes a few
months, but there is not much talk Of
an extra session just now. 1t should
be understood that while the present
assessment law and rate Of taxatio-
stand taxes will accrue steadily
whether the 1903 act is declared IN
constitutional or not. These are sep
arate and distinct acts. Even if thI
Supreme Court were TO declare tn,
1908 act unconstitutional at the De
cember term, that would not aforc
any relief. The taxes would 20 OF
just the same until reduced by tn.
Legislature. The present state o
affairs is but aforetaste of what /
to come if the 1908 act remains il
force. There win be years Of pros
perity and money making and years o
famine and depression, but taxation
will go on forever. Hence it is tina
with an eye to the future and tn
probable productive capacity of th
whole Stats for a generation to com
We have urged, plead for and demand
ed an equitable settlement of tn
debt, not in the interest Of any favore
class at home or abroad, but upon
basis that without doing injustice t
the bOndholders would not crush gu
the life and aspirations left in tn
people. No one connected with TIL