The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-01-14


commercial purposes, the taxes that are
annually levied upon them, and which,
under our present system Of tax sales OF
unseated lands, are used by the unseru-
pulous to deceive and defrzud the un-
wary, might be made productive of the
common veal, if held and controlled by
the Commonwealth. An Allegheny
park. which could be made to include
large portion Of the mountain regions of
the state, might be 20 formed as TO pro-
tect the headwateTs Of our streams and
BY a gradual process Of reforesting would /
retard the disastrous flow Of water IN the !
spring when the SHOWS melt or when !
there is any unusual rainfall This sub /
iect is one Of unusual difficulty, but is Of
50 much and such practical importance
that | feel compelled TO call it 70 your /
attention and to invoke for ii your most
careful consideration
REVENUES AND TAXATION.
The question Of the manner IN which |
our revenues are to be raised continues
TO be one of absorbing interest to the
people of the Commonwealth. A COM
mission, appointed under joint resolu-
ton approved the 25th day Of May, 1889,
has given careful consideration to this
subject and prepared a report embracing
the views of all its members, showing 8
wide divergence of opinion as to TO tne
principles upon which and the methods
bv which taxes are to be levied and col
lected. The majority of the commission
agreed upon a bill which provides for the
Ievviug of county and municipal taxes
upon the several kinds Of property there
in specified, the principal object Of which
is to bring eorporate and personal prop
erty within the taxing power Of the mu-
nicipality, with view Of relieving real
estate from alleged excessive burdens
The minority Of the commission dissent
from the views Of the majority as ex-
pressed in this bill, and state their views
at length in three several minority state
nents contained in the report The whole
subject OF taxation Is very ably discussed
in this report and is commended 10 your
careful consideration
1t is TO be regretted that this commits
sion has not been able to gather data
upon which an intelligent conclusion can
be based as to the inequality Of the bur
dens Of taxation borne by real and per-
sonal property respectively It seems to
be admitted on all hands that there is
inequality in greater or less degree, but
the extent Of that inequality IS an uncer-
tain quantity, and there seems to be no
reliable means Of ascer tanning what 1t Is
with anything ike definite degree Of
certainty. Until this difference is def
nitely ascertained it is impossible to ap-
ply a remedy, even if it be conceded that
remedy is needed.
The report Of the majority leaves the
entire question Of the collection Of the
/ State revenues to be governed by the
laws which now exist This is well, in
asuueh as our present revenue laws are
better understood and are being more
satisfactorily enforced than ever before
The revenues raised under them are coz
stantly increasing and II IS believed that
the provisions Of the act Of lst Of June,
IsS9, will vet more largely increase the
revenues which will be collected under
it. The final settlement in the supreme
Court of the United States Of what has
been known as the 'loans tax cases, ," has
largely increased the revenues for the
present year and insures definite in
come from this important source
In view Of the revenue which may be
reasonably relied upon from this source
in the future it seems to me entirely fea-
sibIe TO divert a portion of the revenues
now flowing into the state Treasury, un-
der the provisions OF the act Of the Isl
of June, 1859, to the county treasury. l
recommend, therefore, that of the State
tax upon personal property collected
under the sixteenth section Of said
general revenue act, the one-half part
thereof be returned to the several coun-
ties of the Commonwealth in which the
same is collected, instead Of the one
third part as provided by the said section
l recommend, also, that the laws Telat-
ing to licenses for the sale at retail Of
liquors be so amended as 70 autholize
the entire amount raised from the grant
ing Of said licenses to be paid into the
| treasury of the municipality within
which the privileges conferred by the
same are to be exercised. am also of
/ the opinion that if careful discrimination
/ and reasonable economy be exercised in
the matter Of appropriations to sO-ealled
charitable institutions, the annual sppro-
priation for common schools may be in
creased from two millions Of dollars to
at least two and one-half millions These
changes viii provide an additional fund
OF at least two million dollars annually
IN relief Of local taxation, and will do 80
at once and with certainty based upon
we'll settled principles.
In order to replace the amounts thu;
recommended to be applied in relief o.
local taxation, respectfully recommend
that the amount Of the tax on corpora
ton stock TO be paid into the sinkins
: fund under the twenty-eighth section o
the general revenue act ofJune lst, 1889
be reduced from the one-half TO the one
fourth part thereof This amount, it il
believed, viii be amply sufficient to pro
vide for the interest Of our small remain
ing debt, and the assets in the sinkinl
fund are amply sufficient to provide fol
I the payment Of any of the loans Of tbs
Commonwealth which can, under th'
provisions thereof. be paid for sewers
years to come. 1t may be proper for m'
TO state that in these recommendation
both the Auditor General and stat
Treasurer, who have given careful eonsid
! Grafton to the subject in the main con
cur.