The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-10-28

poor. By an act approve June Is, 1855
the expense Of tie care and.treatnent Of
the INDECENT insane WIS divided between
the counties and the state. Neither par
ty can claim exclusive credit for this act,
because in lSS3 the law making depart
ments Of the state were divided between
the two parties. From this act great re-
lief has come 70 the townships and coun- .
ties. The ameunf raid BY the state for
the rear ending Nov. -. lS9a. IS appFoy-.
ed by the report Of the auditor general,
was s4Os, ,653es.
in a general.way the constant trend
oflegislatiOn has been to put more re-
sponsibilities upon the state, and 70 that
extent townships, cities and counties
have been aided, and the overburdened
real estate has been assisted. Il is self
evident that il takes Just 50 much money
70 s1stain the local, municipal and state
governments. The more you add 70 the
state, the less you collect from the others
In the two items Of common schools and
indecent insane ths state nov pays 81
10000 annually. To that extent, every
acre Of land in the broad commonwealth
Is eorrespondingly benefited, and 70 that
extent are the farmers Of Pennsylvania,
relieved Of the burden Of taxation
an addition to all these things. the
state has been from year to year extend
ing her benefacsiOns in the building and
maintaining hospitals for miners and
persons injured from many causes. In
this way many hundreds Of thousands Of
dollars annually have been and are be
ing expended BY the state which go to
aid persons who but for that would have
TO be supported by the local authorities.
livery one admits that in the language o.
section 1 OF article 9, Of the constitution,
taxation ought to be equal. That As the
blessing Of the government are shared
By all, 50 should its burdens be equally
borne BY all,
TAXING THE CORPORATIoNs-
@Since 1855 an honest effort has been
made to make personal and corporate
property pay more taxes than they did
hitherto. As far back as lSi4 an sct was
passed imposing a tax upon moneyed
capital. Every one knows that the act
was practically a dead letter Prior 10
1855 the whole personal property asses
ed and returned was only Sl45.000,O00.
The first year under the act Of $50 the
return was sos, 100000, and increase Of
S250O0O,O0O in the first year. The prop
er enforcement Of subsequent legislation
ought to bring many millions more from
their hiding places.
The act Of 1891 increased the tax on
mortgages and moneys owing by solven
debtors from three mills 70 four mills.
Ii also raised the tax upon the capital
stock Of banks, railroads and other cor
porations from three mills 70 five mills.
tbs easily seen that since 1866 the leg
islation directed by the Republican party
has been in the line Of the equalization
VI AA-E NAlAAL 0AALCl1- IAAlE AAAAA A4A-AC
all real estate has been relieved from
state taxation, trades, occupations and
professions have been exempted, as well
as have horses and cattle
AT the same time mountains Of the
public debt have rapidly melted away.
BY the aid given and being given 70 COM
mon schools and the insane poor the real
estate Of the commonwealth has been
aided more than 100000 annually.
Surely that is a record Of which any par
ty has a right 70 be proud. A party
which has a right to ask the continued
confidence and support ef the people.
No FARMER sHoUDD OPPOSE GREGG Oh
MORRISON.
Il have my own notions Of tax equali-
zation, while the course Of the party and
It's legislation has for quarter Of = cen
tury tended steadily toward fairness in
taxation Yet speaking for myself, and
myself alone, We have not reached the
point where the public burdens fall alike
upon all classes Of property and upon all
classes Of persons.
4 hope soon to see the day when every
kind Of property in the state which IS
owned and held for profit shall not only
be alike protected, bat at same time
shall be subjected 70 its fair share Of the
public burdens, and that without regard
to whether the property Is owned by
corporation or private individual, and no
matter whether It be real or whether it
be personal.
Permit me to say in conclusion that
can see no reason why any real estate
owner or farmer should vote against our
most excellent state ticket. 50 far his
benefits have come from the Republican
party. He has had no benefit from any
other sources. He can reasonably and
hopefully look to it TO remedy any IN
fairness and irregularity which now ex-
ists in reference to the distribution Of the
public burdens"