Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-27
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !


HARRISBURG, April Ex-senator Dela-
mater took the revenue bill by the horns
this morning. Recognizing the fact that in
spite of many good features, many interests
remain dissatisfied with the revenue mea-
sure now the subject of a conference be-
tween the two Houses, he to-day introduced
resolution in the Senate for revenue
commission which in its main object will
differ materially from any that have thus
far dealt with the subject in Pennsylvania.
The resolution, which is as follows, created
quite breeze in the upper House:
WHEREAS, 1t is a recognized fact that the
present system of taxation, whereby real estate
is exempted from taxation for State purposes,
has worked an injustice, by exempting froml To-
cal taxation large amounts of property, both
real and personal belonging to corporations,
and
whereas. There is no need of an increased
revenue for State purposes, and there is an ur-
gent demand for the reduction of taxation for
local purposes, and
Whereas. There are at present no trust
worthy statistics as to the amount of real and
personal property owned by citizens of this
Commonwealth, owing to the inequality of
assessments in the various counties; therefore.
be it
Resolved, If the House of Representatives
concur, that there be constituted commission
to prepare
UNIFORM REVENUE LAW
covering both State and local taxation and to
report the same to the next Legislature, said
commission to be composed as follows: First.
the Auditor General; second, one person to be
elected by the Association of County Commits
sioners;' third, one person 10 represent the
manufacturing interests, to be appointed by the
Governor; fourth, one person, who has given
special study to the subject of taxation, and
who may be considered an authority on the
same, TO be elected by the Senate; fifth. one
person to represent the financial and mercan-
tile interests, TO be elected by the House: sixth,
one person who has given special study to the
subject of taxation and who may be considered
an authority on the same, to be elected by the
House; seventh, one person to represent the
agricultural interests, to be appointed by the
State grange.
An appropriation to pay the expenses of this
commission shall be provided for by subse-
quent legislation.
Senator Goblin opposed the resolution
very strongly. He objected to the paying
of commissions upon new subjects of taxa
tion, and objected even more strongly to
what he considered an effort in the direction
of making the State collector of taxes for its
own and for local purposes. Senator Thomp-
son also opposed the resolution, but merely
because he objected to commissions on gen.
eral principles, and later he said that this
one was probably the best that had yet been
proposed.
THE GRANGERs PLEASED.
The resolution pleased the granger Sena-
tor from York, Mr.. Brown, who saw in it
some chance for the principles of the gran
ger tax equalization bill, now buried in the
Senate Finance Committee.
Twenty-six to eight was the vote by which
the resolution passed the Senate. The
House did not divide on the question. The
viva voce vote in its favor was hearty one,
in spite of Mr. Wherry's objections That
gentleman declared that 200 years of hard
work had failed to produce state of things
such as the resolution aimed at. SIT is
impossible, +" he declared. "to combine local
and State taxation in one. In 25 years
there have been six tax commissions, and
none of their reports have been enacted into
Law. The commission of 1877 spent $40, 900
and accomplished nothing Our present
tax system is now 40 or so years old, and
has never been changed in its fundamental
principles"
Mr.. Wherry's opposition, however, was
of no avail. The House was with Senator
Delamater, and after the labor men had sue
ceede6 in getting a labor representative pro-
vided for on the commission, it was nearly
unanimous. Mr.. Caffrey, a Democrat,
moved the amendment, and wanted the
labor man to be chosen by the General As
sembly of the knights of Labor. Mr.. Jones,
of Allegheny, thought this would be unfair
to the other labor organizations of the State,
and the gentlemen agreed to have the labor
representative appointed by the Secretary
of Internal Affairs, who has charge of the
State Labor Bureau. SIMPSON.