Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-09
la,lcaster fntellige1rer.
FRIDAY EVENING. FEB 9. 1893
Defining Our Position,

our views upon the subject of taxation.
He seems to think, because we adverse
ly criticised the tax measure proposed
by the Grangers' committee, that we do
not believe that equality in taxation is
equity" We furnished the judge no
ground for thus questioning our sanity.
We do notdispute truisms, when we can
see them. We have no trouble in seeing
this one. We know no one who has, and
can conceive Of no such one in sound
mind. The problem in taxation is TO
secure equality. The Granger committee
proposed a measure to this end which we
conceived to be without virtue and we
rejected it. We did not find in it even
" a first step towards equality" Judge
Black thinks it has this degree of merit,
although it does not meet his ideas at
all. If the judge will take this bill, and,
striking out all after its enacting clause,
proceed to formulate under it his idea of
the legislation that will secure equality
of taxation, there may be comely cret
ture come forth that we can fall down
and worship for the judge bears an en-
chanter's wand in clothing good ideas in
good words. 1t is true that this subject
of taxation is 4 hard-featured one which
would frighten away any reputable fairy
and stagger the most cunning magician.
Judge Black seems to fully appreciate its
difficulty, but we would like to see his
ideas clothed in the precise language of
an enactment. We would understand
him better at present we fear we will
have to say to him that we find as
little precision in his statement of his
position as he seems to find in ours.
We would like to have him tell us how
the farmers pay nine-tenths of the taxes :;
and whether be claims this is true of
Pennsylvania farmers or of the class in
general. Certainly they do not pay it on
their real estate. If the fact is SO, how
ever, does it not make against the posi-
ton taken 10y the judge and ourselves
and everybody else, 50 far as we know,
that taxation should be equal for the
farmer class is supposed to be the
healthiest and wealthieSt. Can it he due
to their excessive taxation or, if not :,
is not their heavy taxation but a fair
make weight to their extra bounties from
nature
But it does not make bit of differ
ence to the issue in hand between the
Judge and ourselves, whether or no the
c,.u,,r ,,.,vc mara bon j. cJ ryo Of
alton, for there is no doubt whatever
that taXation is unequal, and it is quite
immateral who bears its chief burthen.
Taxation ought to be equal. 1t is not.
That is the wrong. Is there q remedy :?
What is it :
Judge Black admits the face of our
objection to the taxation of invisible
property; but he need not ascribe to
business men " only the smartness
and dishonesty " which he finds in those
who would not disclose their property to
the tax assessor. AS We laid down The
judges letter after reading it, our eye
fell upon an item Os the days telegraphic
news. in the newspaper we picked ur,
which is too good evidence upon this
point not to be quoted. 1t is dated at
Providence. Rhode Island, and runs as
follows:
''The estate # the late Rev. Dr. Mercer,
Of Newport, which soon after his death
was estimated al $a00 600. is now found to
amount to over S1.000,000. He had been
taxed for only $4,000"
That man was a Yankee, but we have
plenty of his type in Pennsylvania, and
no doubt among the clergy. 1t is not
generally considered in any way Gishon
est to avoid the tax gatherer. If the
kingdom of heaven is not for such as do,
Judge Black will have q lonely time of
it, We fear.
Seemingly :,iardouinS invisible prop
erty as too eei-like for The tax collectors
grasp, the judge declares that it is very
simple and easy to tax other kinds of
personal property; such as grain upon
the land, the rents of real property, not
used for agricultural purposes, coal taken
from the mines, oil from the wells,
fabrics of every kind created by the
manufacturers, the tonnage Of railroads,
the stock of goods that passes through
the warehouse of the merchant, and the
money lent 10y bankers. Certainly il is easy
to tax all these things and many more:
and, moreover, it is practicable to collect
the tax, which is a vital element in taxa
tiOn. If the judge proposes in his bill to
select such 4 list of personal property for
taxation he will propose practicable
measure. But it will not secure equality
in taxation and We understand him 10
hold this to be fatal defect in any
system of taxation, He does not get
hold of the secreted wealth that now
evadeS the tax gatherer. Our idea of
equal taxation is the levy of a like sum
upon every dollar of the possessions of
each citizen although it is open to
question whether that is Il proper detini-
tiOn. Conceding that it would be an
equal tax in measure, it may be doubted |
whether it is SO in its weight, because
the man with Il Thousand dollars would |
be taxed ut the same rate as the man with |
a hundred Thousand. who is able to be..r |
bigger burthen than lis proportion.
Judge Black does not tell us what he |
means by equal taxation, but We pre-
sumo the definition We have given is
his.
His plan fails in equality. not only IN |