Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-09-05
"'Tis well the sun is set so high
Or some presuming ass,
Would pluck 1t from its place and try
To light the earth with gas"

~ IlBut luo caEIu WIN gas
At present we desire to call attention to
Amendment No. l, the one proposing to
change our system of taxation, and known
as the tax amendment, upon the adoption of
which the electors will be expected to vote in
November.
The regulation of taxation is proper sub
ject for constitutional law, and should be
fixed, certain and prominent. The constitu-
tion of 1902 was silent upon this subject and
the legislature dealt with it at its pleasure
and as it pleased How did it work? On
the 14th of March, 1881, law was passed en-
titled "an act for the election of county as
sessors," the 10th section of which prescrib-
ed the rules for valuing personal property,
the Sth subdivision of the section reading as
follows:
"All horses, mules and asses shall be valued
lUithout Uie,g, at forty dollars each; and all
neat cattle at eight dollars each."
The constitution of 1851, the constitution
as we now have it, guards against such un-
equal taxation by declaring: (Sec. 2, Art.
KILL
"Laws shall be passed, taking by uni
form rate all real and personal property, ac-
cOrding to its Tdlue IN money, to be ascer-
tanned by such rules of apportionment as may
be prescribed by the General Assembly,"
This is the section of the constitution pro-
posed to be amended so as to read:
"SEo. 2. The General Assembly shall pro-
vide for the raising of revenue for the sup
port of the state and local governments; but
taxes shall be uniform on the same class OF
subjects, etc."
Should it become a constitutional law we
will be back to the system of the silent con-
stitution of 1902, and at the absolute mercy
of legislative law, and will soon have the sys-
tenn of 1881, by which the widow who owns
the 'brindle COW with the crumpled horn'
worth $40 will be compelled to pay as much
tax as her wealthy neighbor who boasts of
his $500 Jersey. 1t confers upon the legisla-
ture the unrestricted power to provides for
the raising of revenue" by whatever means
it may see fit. 1t may exempt any species of
property and may tax any property, business
or occupation. The man with his thousands
on interest or deposit, with his interest pay
ing securities in his vault may go exempt
while the butcher who supplies his meat and
the tailor who makes his clothes must, for
the privilege of doing so, pay the expenses of
supporting the government which protects
the millionaire in the enjoyment of his
wealth.
True, the amendment provides that 'taxes
shall be uniform on the same class of sub
jects," and provides for the exemption OF
certain property; but it does not prevent the
exemption of other property, nor does it re-
quire that all property shall be taxed accord
ing to its value in money. Any rule may be
adopted. Railroads, telegraphs, manufac-
tories, all corporations may be exempt from
taxation and the revenue necessary to sup
port the state raised from the occupations
and industries of the people.
1t looks to us as though it was part of the
scheme being worked up to fasten upon the
people of this once popular form of govern
ment privileged class in the shape of that
meanest and most contemplate of all aris-
tocracies-a monied one.
Vote-"rax Amendment-Now