Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-27
Legislature and to Congress to secure wha
legislation you need"

Legislature and to Congress to secure what
legislation you need"
STATE TAXATION.
Senator Gerald Brown, who is also State
Lecturer of the Pennsylvania Grange, dis
cussed the subject of State taxation at
length. He said the necessity of uniting in
one supreme effort for the correction OF the
unequal and unjust system of taxation pre-
vailing in Pennsylvania had greatly in
creased by reason of the depressed agricul-
tural interests. What could be tolerated in
prosperous times could not now be endured
when the owners OF real estate were not
only compelled to pay their own tax, but 9
large majority Of that levied on other prop
erty holders. Real estate was taxed II
mills, but the holder of city and borough
property could and did recoup himself to a
large degree by making up for the discrimi-
nation against real estate by commanding
correspondingly higher rents. The farmer
had no power to raise the price of his
products, and so repay HIM for increased
tax. 1t was evident, therefore, that the
holder of farm property was at great dis
advantage as compared with the holder of
city or borough property in regard to this
tax. As to other property but mills were
levied on it by any authority, and that only
for State purposes.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXEMPTIONS.
Senator Brown called particular attention
to the alleged fact that large classes of cor
porate and personal property had, within
recent years, been exempt from taxation by
special legislation, contrary to the express
provisions of sections 1, and 8 of the Con-
stltutlon. A summary of these facts showed
that less than 81. 900, ,000, 600 real estate paid
all the local taxes and portion OF the State
taxes, while OF not less than s., 500, 900, 600
OF corporate property and interest-bearing
securities, all of which yielded larger net
income than real estate, and at least one
fourth of which was entirely exempted from
all taxation, levy of 81, 500, 600, or about
two mills, for State purposes, is all that is
asked as tax. The statements of the Sena-
tor were fortified by figures,
Senator Brown then gave history of the
suspicious loss of the revenue bill, which al
lowed the several counties one-half of the
tax derived from licenses. The failure of
this bill, he strongly intimated, was due to
design, instead of to an accident, and that
the corporations were primarily responsible
for its loss.
HISTORY OF A LOST BILL.
A history of the grangers' equalization
tax bill was given for the instruction of the
people who listened to his speeches. The
act was purposely delayed in the Senate
after it had passed the House by an over
whelmiug majority. The corporations did
not think it worth while to prevent
Its passage in the lower branch of
the Legislature, and postponed the sp-
pllcatlon of their power until it
reached the Senate. Having remained in
the hands of the Finance Committee leng
emo ugh to endanger its passage at the last
session, he offered resolution to discharge
the committee and give the Senate an oppor-
tunlty to pass on Its merits, but only %
Senators voted for his proposition, or one
less than required to take it out of the pos
session OF the committee. The resolution for
the erection OF a mixed commission to draft
a new revenue law, he said, was a SOP to
cerberus, but it was also public confession
on the part of the leaders who were RESPONSE
BILE for the defeat of the bill that the present
tax system was outrageous, and that it could
not be endured. He counseled the grangers
to put men in office of trust who had stood
by them, and to condemn those who had |
done otherwise.
MUST SUPPORT THEIR FRIENDS.
"If they do not stand by the men who at |
every sacrifice to themselves have fought |
the greatest aggregation of corporate power |
that has ever stood in the way of Justice to
the people. said Senator Brown, "they do
not deserve, and are not likely to hereafter
have, competent champions OF their own in
terests."
A large number of exhibitors met at Har-
risburg this evening and signed petition
to be presented to Manager Thomas to-mor-
row, requesting him to prevent bands march,
ing through streets in which machinery is
on exhibition to solicit patronage for fakirs,
side shows, cts. The exhibitors saw that
these movements seriously interfere with
their business, and threaten to withdraw
their goods if their request be not granted.