Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-27
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE D1sPAroHA

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.i
PHILADELPHIA, February 26.-The
Pennsylvania State Tax Commission, which
was appointed to reduce the taxes and equal
ize the revenue laws in this State, held the
final sessions of its meeting in this city
to-day at the Lafayette Botel. The Chairman,
Auditor General McCamant, announced that
the commission held a meeting in this
city in order to learn what the sentiments
of the citizens were on the subject, and to
receive suggestions for remedying the evil
of high taxes. To-day's sessions, therefore,
were devoted entirely to the consideration Of
the various views presented BY number of
citizens.
When the meeting was called to order at
1890 O'Clock all the members of the COM
mission were present. while the room was
well filled with interested spectators. ]. L.
Shoemaker, rhpresenting the Henry George
Club, who made an address at yesterdays s
meeting, nrst took the floor and made an
other long speech advocating Georges land
tax theory.
POINT IN GEORGES THEORY.
Representative Wherry, of Cumberland
county, wanted to know if the man who
owned property improved to the extent of
500, 900 had to pay the same tax rate as the
man upon whose property only 1000 had
been expended. eyes" replied Mr.. Shoe
maker, although our principle is that no
man should be taxed. A citizen is taxed
for privilege, and as it is privilege to
own land to the exclusion Of others, he
should only pay taxes for the absolute value
of the land"
Mrs Elizabeth L. Bladen, a newspaper
writer, said that she had attended the meet
ing to protest against the assessment of small
properties to the excessive exemption from
taxation of the so-called charitable institu-
tions. "I do not mean the institutions,
she said, (which really help the poor and
afflicted, but wish to attack the hospitals,
churches and schools, which, although they
come under the same head, are really pri-
Vate institutions.
A DIFFICULT QUESTION.
Hospitals that charge their patients
S25 week and churches which
collect $4,000 per annum from
pew rents and still practically close
their doors to strangers, are all exempted,
while the poor man who is trying to buy his
home is charged high rates of taxation. 1
beg you to remedy this wrong by placing
upon churches and hospitals their share Of
taxation"
"I know that all this is true in certain
sense" said Auditor General McCamant,
land has been worrying the Legislature for
years. The numerous decisions OF the Su-
preme Court make it hard to tell where to
draw the line"
Joseph B. Townsend then made an elab-
crate argument in favor of exempting char
liable and public institutions from taxa
tion. In some cases, he said, exceptions
should be made, although his views on the
subject were directly in opposition to those
of Mrs. Bladen Colonel John Taggart,
who was the next speaker, Endorsed Mrs.
Bladen's views on the subject. He was fol-
lowed BY Mrs. Tunie Symonds, of the
Working Woman's Society, who also agreed
with the sentiments expressed by Mrs.
Bladen.
THE TAX ON CHARITIES.
DR.. James W. Walk, of the Philadelphia
Society for Organizing Charity, then made
a brief address, in which he said that, while
he thought there were some charities which
should be exempt, at the same time there
were many obsolete charities which ought
to be taxed. At this poiut Mr.. Shoemaker
went into another lengthy explanation Of
the single tax system. The rest of the morn
ing session was consumed In listening to
Mr. Shoemaker's arguments.
The afternoon session was convened at
o'clock. Mr.. Shoemaker finished his state
ment, after which some miscellaneous busi-
ness was transacted. The Secretary was re-
uuested to invite D. NJ. Anderson, of the
United Labor League. to present an argu-
ment upon the subject of taxation at the
next meeting, and also to procure copies of
Prot Patton's essay upon the "License"
scheme, which was published by the Whar-
ton School of the University. The commits
sion then adjourned, to meet in Harrisburg
on the 18th of next March.