Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-02-27
VARIOUS views REPRESENTED.
Mr.. Rhone Representing the state
Grange Presents the Reforms Desir-
ed by the Farmers Reduce the
Real Estate Tax.

PHnAp:T r.rtA. Feb. 26.-In C parlor
Of the Flo; i.afayette the mixed conf
mission to rrvilc AMI reform the state
tax laws met. with Auditor General
McCamant in the chair. This commits
sion was appointed by the governor
under the authority of an act of the
legislature, and is empowered to hear
evidence and prepare an act for general
taxation for revenue in this state that
will be equitable and raise sufficient
revenue for the sustenance of the gov
eminent.
Besides the auditor general the COM
mission comprises State Representa-
tive Wherry, of Cumberland; State
Representative Taggart, Of Mont
gomery county; Mr.. Wright, OF
Philadelphia; Mr.. Martin, of Pitts
burg, appointed by the secretary of
internal affairs to represent the labor
organizations; Mr.. Price, of Erie, APP
pointed by the state convention of
county commissioners; Mr.. Rhone, rep
resenting the state grange, and Mr..
Bolos, chief of the bureau of statistics
of the department of internal affairs.
Scope OF tho Inquiry.
These gentlemen do not propose going
into every part of the state in order to
get the views of the people on the sub
ject of tax revision. They will remain
by which time they calculate upon hav-
ing sufficient to show them the drift of
sentiment on the matter. Later on
,;.,t D;tyeIN,r,r will no y,,oda Tho
main point of issue will, however, be
settled by the commissioners themselves.
Thus far three propositions have been
presented, one by Mr.. Wright, of Phila-
delphia, favoring the taxing of incomes,
another by Mr. Rhone, tho granger
champion, advocating the taxation OF
all classes of property-including much
that is not now taXed-wlth the view TO
lessening the farmers burden. The
labor representatives urged the single
tax theory of Henry George.
Reform Demanded by the Farmers.
MIR. Rhone is of the impression that
the people are not disposed to change
the present system. One new feature
is, however, reasonably certain of
adoption and that is the imposing, in
the future, of corporate tax In ali
counties, burroughs and cities for local
as well as state purposes. at the
present time real estate is taxed over IL
mills on the dollar while corporate and
personal property pays but 3. Here
after the latter will doubtless have to
pay a larger share, in which case the
real estate tax will be reduced possibly
to i2 mills. The effect of this, it is de-
clared, would be to lessen the financial
burdens of the farmer and the working
man who owns his own house.
The Single Tax Argument
After electing Mr.. Brannen secretary,
Mr. Stevenson, of the Henry George
club, addressed the commission in favor
of a single tax for the state revenue.
1t was argued that it was impossible
to equitably assess and collect taxes on
personal property, and hence it is USE
less to try and tax it. Next MIR. Steven
son thought improvements should not
be taxed, because good thing is done
and labor is helped. We should en-
courage the production of wealth, and
hence such property should not be
taxed He had paid for lot inside of
the city $4,000, and had put upon it
houses that are worth twice as much.
Soon after the owner of the land near
by doubled his valuation, and / had to
pay the extra tax.
Poor Men Pay the Heaviest Taxes.
Mr.. Stevenson argued that poor men
pay taxes on at least rs per cent. of the
property owned, and hence pay more in
proportion than others. He held that
in the cities the people did not pay the
proper land taxes. Really, under the
system proposed the farmers would pay
but little taxes.
Mr.. Taggart Where wRd the reve-
nue. come from!
Mr.. Stevenson - From $500, 600 600
worth of land in Philadelphia; from the
coal lands, which are now assessed as
"sheep grazing" lands, and from other
sources Mr.. Stevenson, in answer to
Mr.. Wherry, explained that horses,
houses, and everything that man grows
or makes belongs to him and should
not be taken from him, either directly
or by taxation.