Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-03-30
TAXATION OF MeRrG eEs.


ate Of MI during debate on this i'm
portrnt question, in which so pc Of tn
most prominent men Of the ST e parti
cipated We do this. as il is but jus
and fair to our Senator that bis rea
SON il, connection with his actions
should be given The manly 81 and an,
gallant fight made By Senator Edeler
on th, tobacco question entitle him t
,he right o. having his views on II pub
lie questions placed before the people
and this we do. feeling satis6 d tina
whatever po ition be may take a pub
lie servant. he Is actuatcd only ~ mo
tiyes, which IN his Judgment, ill re-
hound to the interest Of tho peop whom
he 80 ably represents.
President Peter said: ~ feel reluc-
lance in approaching this subj kct, be-
cause | have had to do With it before.
aud because Of its weigbty and grave
Character. know Of nothin mi l. like
~ to create discomfort and trouble .mong
the people Unjust taxation ledI to the
revolt Of the colonies against the i bother
country. Can | deal unfairly vi lh my
ueishbor and keep his respect and conf
deacc? Can State deal unjust with
her citizens and keep their love an feal-
~? Is it right, IS it Just that ould
be taxed and YOU 90 scot free bIcause
your property is Of different kind from
mine? There is no good sense, nt good
reason for this 1t will not do to tswer
that it is not polite to tax mortgagb s. -
Tn Ter our bill Of rights VIC ought y tax
every species Of property. aud | hol the
ex .mption Of mortgages to be VI holly
unconstitutional. He here read Illegal
authorities in support of this position.
The Senator from Anne Arundel ydster-
day read from the reports Of the tax fom-
mission and tie advice they give Are
we to take the advice Of these as against
the positive command of our bill ofri9hts
will not touch the question Of double
taxation, for it does not rise to the dig
nity Of an argument. We should BIZ all
means tax mortgages. don't believe
it will result in the foreclosures that have
been prophesied 1t is claimed that the
mortgagor will have to pay the tax
Cant we protect him by appropriate leg
islatiou? Let Us tax mortgages, and
say to you that not one dollar of capital
will 90 out Of the Sla'c."
Mr.. Wcntz. -"If We tax mortgages.
won't the mortgogors have to pay the tax
where the mortgage provides that he
shall do SOP
President Peter lie certainly will,
but the mortgage is not eternal. | am
glad to say we have very few such mort
cages in my county. Money is plenti-
full to-day, and the moDcy-lender is 60
ing about offering to leud his money -
The exemption Of mortgages is unjust,
un wise, aud ought to be swept away
Policy is no argument. The bill Of
rights ,mpcratively commands us to tax
all property. and shall never for policy
vote for any thing | believe to be in de-
iance Of the constitution and bill Of
rights
MIR. Goodwin -"iIow would you
collect the tax where the mortgage is a
non-residcnt2'
presi lent Peter by having the
mortgage pay the taxes aud deduct
chem from the interest. appeal % ~
county Senators to come to the rescue sf
the farmers and to the city Senator 10
come to the aid of the small house-owh-
er and vote to tax mortgages, aud there's
by relieve these classes OF our people
from the present unjust and unequal
taxa ion
MIR. E1elen said:-'T represent ex-
clusively an agricultural constituency.
and | oppose the tax alton of mortgages
in their interests. The exemption of
mortgages ooes not fly in the face of the
constitution No man in this Senate
feels moro kcenly than do the oath Of a
Senator to support the constitution, and
ii did not feel sure that there is nothing
in the consti utien against the exemption
of mortgages | should vote to tax them.
The provision of the constitution quoted
by the Senator from Montgomery hold
to be simply advisory, 10 mandatory =
| He quoted the case of State VS.. Cum
berland and Pennsylvania Railroad. 40
Nd and from % Md, DIG. and from
40 Md, 81, Emory VS. State This
case, Mr.. Edclen claimed, clearly I'D
holds the validity of the exemption of
mortgages and recognizes the exemption.
He quoted from the report Of the tax
commission IN regard to exemptions I | |
recognize the fact that agricultural in
terests are at very low ebb, but am
here as a careful and prudent man to
legislate not for generations yet unborn,
but for the present, and do not propose
to v9,e to sell out the present generation
in the interest of those of the future. Z"
Mr. Edelen suspended his remarks for
recess till s p. m.
When the Senate met in evening SEES
sion Mr.. Edelen resumed his remarks
on the assessment bill He contended
that to stick closely to the letter of the
fifteenth article Of the constitution would |
lead to endless trouble and confusion J.
I'VE had better follow the current of lie
cisious of our Court of Appeals he con-
Iinued, (which have uniformly held the |
language of said article to be advisb ry |
and not mandatory" He contenSed |
that it would be unwise for the Statd to
upset what has been its settled practice |
AMI policy for the past eighteen years,
aud not now proceed to tax mortgages. HE |
argued that to tax mortgages now Would |
result III the foreclosure of most ofIthe |
now held on land in khis |
stare, because the tax would in Most |
counties result in reducing the inteke
on mortgages to less than FIVE per cent |
II these foreclosures do not result, diem
the mortsagor will have to pay thei tax
iul will be burdened that much mord -
II am not willing" he continued, lto
invite these wholesale foreclosures. Irhe |