Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-25

were plainly discernible therein. But tn
public shall be the Judge. Here's the mys
terious circular verb, ct lit:
Please Post This Where People Can See It,
| TAXPAYERS!
TAKE NOTICEi
SOUND THE ALARM
| DO YOU KNOW
| That there is at Harrisburg, now pending II
| the Legislature
AN INFAMOUS TAX BILL
| ,Uhich ,UiU oppress every man. Uonldn dnt
child in the CoTIl1no nontUedLt and that UNLESt
| You PROTEST ATONCEG 1t is likely to be
| come O LdUf
What Will 1t Do?
1t will compel YOU to submit to question;
which will expose every Item OIL your prlVate
| business to public gaze!
1t will put YOU upon the stand to state
| every article which you own from your child
| cradle to your m0neyed investments, Ironl
your wife's apron to your church pew
EVERY THING which is comprehended by
the words fused in the billy OF tangible per
sonal property"
You VIII Be Compelled (under OATH
| To state every penny you receive from
trades professions, occupations and invest
ments," and every debt that you owe. however
your store or your house, for sale, and in
the words of the act, every obligation or eyi-
dence of debt"
AHof These Things Are to Be Taxed
Ness paltry allowance of s3OO).
If you think this inquisition will be pleasant,
you will doubtless think that the twenty-first
section of the act is still more pleasant. 1t
requires an exposure and PUBLIC PRINTING
OF YOUR ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION,
and furnishes copies broadcast to all your
neighbors.
IF YOU COMPLY with these little require
ments of the law, all your private affairs Will
become public property-your opponent In
business will know all about your means OF
existence-your wife and children may be
taunted with your poverty, and you VIII pc
at the mercy of every petty creditor, and the
scorn of those who are fortunate to possess
more property than you do. IF YOU DO NOT
COMPLY with the requirements you run the
risk of paying the penalty, which varies from
having the supposed value OF your properly
arbitrarily increased one-half, TO going TO jail
for conspiracy!
Do you know of any plain BUSINESS man,
or of any honest FARMER, or OF any reputa-
BILE LABORER, or of any intelligent PRoFEs-
sIoNAL man, or of any square dealing mem
such an act?
Where Did II Come From?
who are believed to use the prestige of the
"Grangers" to forward their aims. Printed
forms of petitions in favor of the bill were
sent around to the State Oranges and they
were signed pro JOTHG without much investi-
cation. But ask the first granger you meet
whether he has ever read the bill, and
whether its real meaning and real effect were
ever explained him? Don't evade the
straight inquiry by any generalities. The
bill either does what is charged In this cir
cular, or 1t does not! Read the extracts from
the bill attached hereto, and then decide for
yourself, and ask your granger friend whether
he has been dealt with fairly, or whether he
really wants to TAX EVERYTHING MAN
HAS ON THE EARTH. UNDER THE EARTH,
AND ABOVE THE EARTH?
To conscientiousy comply with the law
you would have to swear to the value of the
coffin in which your husband Tor wffe) lies
buried (for while corporate cemeteries are
exempt, your personal property in them IS
not); to the actual number and value OF
your own and your children's shirts (this Is
no exaggeration); TO the number of bushels
of potatoes in your cellar; to the value Of
your wife's dresses; to absolutely
EVERYTHING YOU OWN.
and to every obligation or evidence of
debt" that is owing to you (including your
sons due bill when you loaned him pocket
money!.
HEYou will have to show how you get
every dollar of your income, and expose all
your business secrets.
This bill has made rapid progress through
the House! 1t was possibly cowardice on the
part of the members who allowed 1t to obtain
such advantage. but it is unduestionably ig-
norance of its progress on the part OF the tax
payers which has prevented them from offer
ing protest
Nop is the Time TO Protest.
The bill is marked for second reading in the
House at Harrisburg, on March Is, and for
third reading and final passage by that body
on March "a [Blll passed House yesterday.
ED
Let Your Protest Go NoU, in Aduance, to
Your Senator.
(Aud do it quickly OF it will be too late.)
And ask him whether he proposes (for any
reason wbatever) to place upon the necks of
his people the burden of any such
INFAMOUS AND UNNECESSARY TAXA
TIoN.
HsrCall the attention Of your business
men, your clubs, your societies, and your
associates to the necessity of speedy action.
The following are extracts, word for word,
letter for letter, and line for line, from the
bill as printed and under consideration:
SECTION 3. The Assessor of each ward,
township and borough of this Commonwe ealth
shall make special inquiry of each taxable
person." and require a full and complete an
swer from each taxable person." or his rep
resentative, agent or attorney TO the follow
ing interrogatOries:
First the number of horses, mules and asses
over years old owned or held by him or her.
Second, the number of neat cattle over 4
years old owned or held by him or her.
Third, the number of sheep and swine over
year old owned or held by him or her.
Fourth, the number of omnibu3es, hacks
and pleasure carriages owned or held by him
or her.
Fifth, the number of all kinds of musical
instruments owned or held by him or her.
Sixth, all boats or water craft owned or
held in trust by him or her, whoever regis
tered and whether at home or abroad.
oil fnn and 70 rra1A
held in trust by him or her.
Eighth, all goods, wares and merchandise
owned or held by him or her, bought or con-
signed with view to selling the same at
profit
Ninth, all material owned or held in trust
at the time OF listing property for taxation
with view to being used, in whole or in part,
in any process OF manufacturing, refining.
rectifying, brewing. distilling, pressing or
combining.
Tenth, all products of mines, quarries, oil
wells salt wells and natural gas wells owned
or held in trust at the time of listing
Eleventh, all machinery not taxed as real
estate owned or held by him or her.
Twelfth, all tools and implements owned or
Thirteenth, ALL OTHER TANGIBLE PER
soNAL PROPERTY" OWNED OR HELD BY
HIM OR HER, NOT EXEMPTED FROM TAXA
TIoN BY THIS ACT.
Fourteenth, THE GROSS INCOME DERIVED
FROM TRADES, PROFESSIONS, OCCUPATIONS
AND INVESTMENTS OF MONEY OR CAPITAL.
The assessor Shall NIX the value of the prop
erty of each taxable pc rson," i'll conformity
with the provisions of section three (3) of this
Act; but when the value of tangible per-
sonal property" in the ownership OF each "tax-
able person and made taxable for "local pur
puSes' by this Art shall hot exceed three
hundred dollars ('U0) no tax shall be as~'-ss,.d
IhereuIi
SECTION Is. Whenever the assessors shall
be of the opinion thas u taxable person.
listing property for himself or for any other
"taxabe person." has not made a full aud
complete statement of such property, he shall
examine such taxable person." UNDER
OATH, as to the numbers, amounts and guam