The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-06-15
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Nd, June II. 1855.
THE TAX QUESTION
40. III.

ferfed bonds to complete and improve the road
they come to the County Commissioners, anC
pleading poverty, they prevail on them ~ tai
them low, saying that tine road Is paying nuth
ing which is exactly the same case Us II 4
farmer would take his crops, and all he had
left after paying his laborcrs, to improve his
iarm-tc build barns and fences, and to improve
his land-and 90 to the Commissioners and
say he was making nothing, and he must have
his taxes put very low, and it would be exactly
like what they have done with the Maryland Cen
trail If the Commissioners would let the farmer
OF with an assessment equal 10 One-stXth oil the
value Of his land.
Since ] wrote paper No. =, in which stated
that the cost of the Maryland Central had been
about $500, 900, a capitalist interested in 1t
told me that the road had cost 81, 80 QUO, and
he took some pains TO prove it 10 me. Assun-
ing that TO be true, the cost has been about
$4,000 mile instead of $4,000, which makes
the damage done to the taxpayers in assessing
ii so low as 50, 900 mile, greater still. Thus
while the road cost say $50, OOO or ga, OOO Il
mile, including, OF course, the STOCK, depots,
&c., and the bonds represent about that amount,
leaving out the value Of the right Of way, or
most it, which is worth large sum, it is
assessed at 5000 mile.
So while we have a tax basis in that road of
about 100000, We should have it asses sedat
about 100000 or 100000, and that without
exceeding what the owners of it say 1t cost, and
what it is really worth.
OfcOurse the men who own the bonds will say
that all this is absurd, but if they do say so,
let them publish an offer of the road for So, 600
pei mile, free Of all membranes, including
the property Of all kinds belonging to il, and
give the option TO Il buyer to take it at any
time within six months after they publish the
notice, al that price, and then will think
have put too high value on it, but | would
like to see this offer made first.
Besides these items, there is about e., SOC, COO
worth of property in this county, not taxed in
my opinion-that is not assessed, and therefore
escaping taxation altogether.
In 1884 the State tax commissioner told me he
was satisfied that at least $50. 900, 600 eighty
millions) worth of property IN Maryland escap-
ed taxation altogether, so, as the thirteen mil
lions that is the basis of taxation in Hartford
county, is about one.fortieth Q-40th) of the
49, millions which is the basis Of taxation in
the whole State, it follows that about one
forth ofthis untaxed property is in Hartford
county.
But assume, | think reasonably, that the
amount has been increased and that if 80 mil
lions escaped taxation in 1884, 100 millions are
untaxed now.
So, one fortieth of this sum is two and ahalf
millions Of dollars not taxed in this county, OF
the property ofindividuals.
II will be asked where this property Is.
answer by stating that an average of $780,
600 is on deposit in the two banks of Hartford
county, and likely about 5000, 600 more in the
banks of Port Deposit, Rising SUM- Oxford and
these places, and some in Philadelphia and New
York, by our citizens
This makes about 500, OOO of money in banks
not taxed Then it is likely that there is as
much money always in the pockets of the pco-
pie, as there Is in bank, for the number is
greater of people who keep no money in bank,
than of those who do, keep money there.
This freedom of money from taxation by the
laws of Maryland is one OF the means by which
we poor people are swindcd, for when assess
stocks that would be taxed, can and often do,
sell the stock, and deposit the money, until
the assessors are done with them, aud then they
buy the stock again.
This is an excellent plan, for it costs but %
cents to sell 800 worth of stock, and that 500
worth of stock would have been taxed in the
twelve years since an assessment was made in
1876, about twelve dollars, SO that the law
enables the stock.owner to cheat the people
out of this twelve dollars on each hundred dol
lars in the twelve years in which there has been
no assessment.
Thus, as there was stock taxed in Hartford
county in 1887 to the amount OF over Sl95 900,
the best facility was afforded the owners of il to
cheat us out OF not less than So, 40 which
would have been the taxes on it, since the
assessment in 1876, in money, il they had chosen
TO sell 1t and have II in money when the asses
sors were valuing their property in 1876, in
stead OF allowing 1t TO remain in stocks, and
be taxed.
But you may depend upon it that many of
those who held stocks in MARYLAND did this,
and afterwards bought stocks of other States,
on which they have paid no taxes since the as
sessment of 1876. So, if the 2H millions of
private property now untaxed in Hartford coup
~, there seems to be about 81 400 900 in money;
the balance, say 81 100000 is in other kinds OF
personal property, much of ii in notes of hand,
and other large amounts of invisible property.
So we lose in the basis of taxation
for want of q new assessment 80. s., SOC, eco
From uudervaluation Of the p, W. u
b. Railroad. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $500, 900
From their bridge being untaxed, say 500,00
From differentiation OF the b. and o.
Railroad. Observation-Disclosures. l,6OO,OOO
From their bridge being untaxcd.... 100000
From differentiation Of the Maryland
Central r. R..................... $4,000
In all. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $40, 900
II this were added to the assessable basis instead
of Sl3,OOO,O00 to raise Sl2O, 600 a year FROM in
taxes we would have about S2l 100000 to tax,
and II we had, instead of levying 92sl cents in
1887, we would have raised all we did raise by
II levy of less than sixty cents on the 500.
So all this shows that the tax payers who are
paying taxes on what they are worth and on
no more, are paying half as much more taxes
than they would pay if all property were taxed
equally
The p. W. aud b. Il Il. was assessed, as it is,
by the assessors in 1876, but the assessment OF
the other two roads was done by the Commits
sioncrs themselves, and they have power to
correct erroneous assessments made by them
selves or by the assessors
Hence it is the duty, and the people expect
them TO perform II, to assess the b. and o. X.
r., IN Hartford county, alta reasonable proper
tion Of what the whole road cost and the
Maryland Central the same wav and that now.
Let them assess the b. Il o. 800, 600 per mile,
which is less than the amount of bonds sold by
1t per mile, and If they appeal from that assess
ment let them show what the road did cost per
mile and then they can assess them for that
only, as there is no purpose to tax it for more
than It's "full cash value, not looking to
forced salch exactly as farmers are taxed.
In this way the Commissioners can aud
should add more than 81, O00, 600 to the taxa
BILE basis, for the levy of this year, which will
enable them to cut down the rate about 80 cents
on each 800 of the taxable basis. They have
the undoubted power to do this, and they ought
to do it. 1t is their duty to the people to do it.
All that want is to have every person and
every corporation in the State to pay taxes on
what they are actually worth, and on no more,
and feel sure this is all the people want, not.
withstanding they have been, and are now, SO
outrageously wronged, and in order to bring
about this equal taxation it is necessary that
railroads should be assessed, as farmers are as
scssed ut their actual value, or i'll the words of
the law at their "ful cash value, not looking to
Il forced sale"
Yours, respectfully,
J"ns An, 1888. L. NJ. ALLEN.
DELTA AFFAIRS.
Mr.. Benjamin Waters had his finger almost
crushed in two, by having 1t caught between
two slate flags; at the quarry. one day last week.
lie is still unable TO resume work.
Mr.. Robert Lloyd, Jr., is suffering severely
from "breake-bono" fever. He contemplated
opening large store, near the line, on the 18th,
having had the old tavern stand rearranged
Tor that purpose. but will now probably have to
postpone II until his recovery, which IL slow.
The proceeds OF the festival at the NJ. p.
Church. last Saturday night nettod about $50. "a.
There was very large crowd in attendance.
The school Reunion" OF the Delta schools,
on saturday, 10th. promises to be a grand affair.
There will be some fine speeches by several pro-
fessors from distance, besides the regular pro-
gramme OF the scholars. They intend having a
Gazette for the occasion. Prof. j. II. Millar,
Principal of the Delta High School, will be the
editor.
The proposed base ball match between the
Delta and the Bel Air nine. for the 4th, has been
postponed on account of the impossibiity of
most OF the latter to be present on that day.
There ia some talk of match game between
the Delta and the Cambria nine on the ith.
A. Is. &.
FROM SHANE, IA LI'1MORR GO.
The festival at West Liberty. on June 9Th and