Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-03

measures l0r tlusDurg, WHICH Hefe uScA0oo
burden on the mercantile community, were
abolished.
Largely through his efforts the State
Board of Health was established, and many
reforms were accomplished in the care of
the insane and unfortunate wards OF the
State.
ANoTABLE RECORD.
He opposed all extravagant wastes OF the
public funds, and during the flrst session OF
the Legislature in his administration vetoed
no less than so bills, many of which were
for the appropriation of money to undeserv-
ing objects.
He freed the pardoning power from the
scandals that had surrounded it, and e1-
ercised it only in the spirit of the Constltu-
ton.
He brough ht before the bar ofjustice power
full corporations that Ind violated the Con.
srirution. and taught them that they were not
the highest power In the State, at liberty TO
net they chose.
He advocated regulation of the liquor
traffic, and prepared the way for the high
license law.
He opposed unfair and partisan legislative
apportionments.
He advocated the equalizationo of taxation,
and sought to lift from the farmers the
heavy burden of taxes under which they had
long struggled.
He was the first Governor to suggest that
reform in the methods of voting which has
since become known as ballot reform, urging
1t as being especially in the interest of work
ingmen.
FEARLESS IN HIS VIEWS.
Governor Pattison has never feared to
make known his views on any question OF
public Importance. His annual messages to
the Legislature show that he was the first to
suggest many reforms that were siterWaro
carried out. He early recognized the neces-
sIty for equalization of taxes and urged 1t
upon the Legislature in the following words
In his annual message of 1885:
An examination of the subjects of reve-
nue. and taxation induces the belief that the
time has arrived for the State to do some
thing to equalize the burden of taxation
upon the real and personal property. 1t is
true the State imposes no direct tax upon
real estate. but it is equally true that that
species Of property in this Commonwealth
furnishes four-ifths of all the revenue
raised within its borders. The figures are
indeed suggestive. As far as ascertained, it
appears that for State, borough, township,
county, municipal and all other purposes,
there is yearly raised by taxation about
S38, 900, 000 OF this sum real estate pays
about $4,000. 900, and personal property
about s., ,O00, 900.
One would suppose from these figures that
the difference in value of the two species of
property would be in some proportion to the
difference in the amount each contributes to
the public revenues. The facts, however,
do not support such a supposition. The
value of the paid-in capital of corporations
Qargelv below the authorized capitaD is
oh he oF
at interest, horses, carriages, watches, etc.,
amounts to about $500, ZOO, 900, making
as the total value of these forms of
personally 81, 500, 900, 600. OF course,
these figures are very much below the
actual value of all the personal property
in the Commonwealth, as the means for the
valuation Of that form of wealth are very
imperfect, and a true appraisement, from
the nature of such property, is difficult TO
obtain.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FARMERS.
The real estate in the Commonwealth, ac-
cordiug to the latest returns, is valued at
81, ,600, ,000, 900. The difference, therefore, in
the value of these two kinds of property is
only about 500, 900, 900, while one pays but
S. 900, 600 in taxation and the other pays
$4,000, 900.
This is surely an unwnrrantnble and mn.
just di.criminat tIon. oppressive 10 real es-
tate, and giving personally an exemption
from the public burdens in courravention of
the spirit of the Constitution and natural
equity. There Is no reason why the cnpitnI
of the farmer should be taxed four times as
much the wealth of another citizen.
1t would seem, if any distinction were
made that it should be in favor of that
form of capital that is most productive,
and that contributes most to the stable
richness of the State. Allthat Is contended
for, however, is that there should be an
equalization, or an approach to it, of the
burdens imposed on each form of property.
TO RELIEVE REAL ESTATE.
As an effort in this direction suggest that
the revenue law of the State be so changed
that tax upon corporations shall bear all the
expenses OF the Commonwealth, and that the
income from all other sources of taxation
upon personal property be paid back to the
respective counties whence it comes, to re-
lieve real estate in those counties to that ex-
tent from local taxation. This would revert
to the counties the various licenses collected,
the taxes on watches, horses and carriages,
money at interest, etc.-in short, all the
revenues now derived except that direc tly
from corporations. This would be mate
rial relief to real estate, and would not be
tions.
Corporate wealth is so purely a crentiou
of the State, and that Interest has been so
carefully nurs ed by the Commonwealth, that
it is more than just that it should support
the State.
1t almost does so now and, BY the plan
suggested, the real estate of CORPORATIONS in
the various counties would share in the re-
lief granted by the reverted revenues to
such an extent that the additional tax i'm
posed would really be but trifing. The tax
upon corporations might also be directly
upon their paid up capital stock instead |
upon the various items of gross receipts, |
dividends. ETC., as is now provided.
LAWS SHOULD BE s1MPL1FIEp.
Our revenue laws are intricate. complex.
difficult of ascertainmeut and uncertain
If some one class of corporate property was |
selected Gas, for example, paid-up capital |
stock) and the tax assessed solely up6n il.
our revenue laws would be materially SIM |
plifed. Such system would give a def |
mite fund upon which estimates could be |
made. and do away with the fluctuations |
and uncertainty now pertaining to our sys- |
ten of taxation. Pennsylvania could |
and ought to be so summarized. |
Real estate, whether farm lands or
city property. is suffering TO-DAY |
from its onerous burdens, and the cry for |
its relief comes to us from a class i'm the |
community whose appeals should be care |
fully considered-the owners of homes and |
the tillers OF the soil. The inequality of |
the burdens borne by personal and real |
property is glaring and unjust, and is day |
BY day becoming more and more apparent.
The adjustment of this inequality must |
come sooner or later, for it is right which
those Disseminated AGAINST will NOT oao,o
in asserting, and the method suggested NAV
be practical help toward settlement of
an important controversy, and the redress
OF a real grievance.
BALLOT REFORM SUGGESTED.
In his last message to the Legislature. in
1887, Governor Psttison made this sug.
gestion OF ballot reform, the necessity Of
which is so apparent: