Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-20
LANoAsTER, PA, January 20. 1890.
Great Questions.

CittZeu9 OF TINS commonwealth upoH lue
two questions of the proper method Of
taxation and the right way to get good
roads. One would think that one OF
these questions would satisfy any news
papers present need for news, and that
they are each big enough to deserve
separate handling. There is, however,
q clear economy in combining In one
interview the search for information
upon every subject, but in editing the
Information 1t might be profltably served
In separate dishes.
We hope our contemporary will per-
severe In its purpose until it has recorded
the opinion of every man in the state
upon the matter of taxation and roads.
Whether the enlightenment of the sub
ject will he equal to the effort made may
perhaps be questionable but 1t will be
interesting to see what all the people
have to say and 1t may be that in the
great multitude of the council true sclu-
tion may be found Of the serious diff
Guilty Of making taxation easy and
equal, and making the roads good
The great trouble about taxation
always il to make 1t bear equally and
no plan has yet been found that will be
as Just in practice as in theory. 1t Is
easy enough to say that real estate taxa
tion may be equally imposed, because real
estate is visible thing capable Of close
valuation but the fact that Its valuation
IL made by many assessors, in many
places and Of many different ideas,
always has made and alwayswill make
the valuation uneven.
We wonder wherefore then it will not
be wise for the state to give up the idea
Of getting an exact tax upon property
according to its value and to determine
to raise all taxation from the privileges
II grants. This Is in manner q Penn
sylvania idea and practice now. The
state does not tax realty and gets its
great revenue from the corporate privi-
leges it has granted. So too now the
counties and cities get large revenue
from the liquor licenses. Why may not
this practice be extended SO as to pro-
vide at least all the money needed for
state and county purposes, including the
making of good roads, from the taxation
Of privileges?
This Is an eminently fair taxation, If
not an equal one. Those who pay the
taxes directly may be but small por-
ton Of the community, but they make
their money by the privilege they buy
and they collect it in their turns from
the community they serve. No one is
likely to object strenuously to the col
lection of taxes in this form. No one
growls very greatly at corporation
taxation and high liquor licenses.
The question will be whether
these privilege taxes can be SO
increased and multiplied as to raise the
money needed for all state and county
purposes. We believe they can. 1t is at
least matter for inquiry. So great state
with 80 great interests and industries is
not likely to lack applicants for bust.
ness privileges who will be ready to pay
roundly to get them. Our corporation
taxes can be increased MANIFOLD with
out hurting the corporations. The
liquor licenses can be tripled without
hurting anybody or thing. The United
States want to drop the liquor and to-
baccot taxes, and do not do it only be-
because they are such ideally lovely
subjects of taxation. Let them pass
them over to the states.
And perhaps even cities can get along
without direct taxation. There are
many valuable privileges within their
power to grant which can be made great
revenue producers. Those who ask
councils for anything should be made
to pay for it. When they want to occupy
the streets with electric wires, car rails,
gas and steam pipes, poles, wires and
other membranes, with which they
propose to make money by serving the
people with their goods, why should they
not be charged roundly for the privilege ?
Or course they will get it back, if their
stuff Is worth anything, in the price
they charge the people for it, But isnot
that good, easy and fair mode of taxa
ton, and one as likely to bear evenly as
any other? 1t may perhaps in the first
instance be more of taxation upon per.
sons than property. But all taxation in
the end gets around to personal taxa.
ton. The property owner collects il
from the tenant in the rent he charges
him and everywhere and always taxa
ton falls ultimately upon the consumer.
IL we can find way TO collect the money
needed for the state comfortably. and
so as not to disturb our feelings
and greatly outrage our sense of Justice,
just as the United States does by its
customs and internal revenue collections,
we will be as happy as we can be
In this tax-ridden world. To be
sure, people howl about the in,
justice Of the tariff; but they are
politicians, bowling to keep their lungs
IN order and their party IN trim. The
y citizen generally is not troub by any
imposition he feels from the tariff. III,
may believe theoretically that it is an
imposition and his political sense ma,
be outraged by the lack of uniformity
but there 10 not man who does moi
think that II is lovely way of collect
ing the government moneys, or who
would be willing to have the theoreti
cally correct system of direct taxatio,
substituted for the theoretically bad sys
TEN OF customs collection.
A to road making, that clearly is
proper state work, to be cared for b,
state officers, paid for by state money
and enjoyed by state people.
EpRafnr Rri.a auI GuII.n yVn.t..