The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-09

PRESS reporter called on Judge Walton
Saturday and asked him what he thought Of
the letter Of Chief Justice Peters in relation
to the proposed new tax law, to which the
Judge replied that he thought we'll OF 1t that
he regarded 1t as one of the ablest papers on
the subject yet produced, aud he had no
doubt 1t would be kindly received by the
legislature.
Being asked what he thought Of the pro-
posed new tax law, the Judge responded
that he had spent the better part Of two days
in the consideration Of It's provisions, and in
comparing 1t with the old law. to see how
the two were going to work together, and he
felt compelled to say that in his judgment the
only object OF the new law would be to in
crease our burdens, aud increase our taxes,
and increase the discomfort Of our people.
and make them wish for "a lodge In some
vast wilderness" more than ever.
"Why, just look at it," said the judge.
"The first step is to create an additional
board Of assessors at a salary OF $500 for
each member. and prediction by one of our
senators that probably one of the first efforts
of the board will be to obtain an increase OF
their salaries, aud that means increased tax
ostOus hC HCAt otCp 10 lub UhtpdEdtlOu VI
an; enormous quantity Of blanks to be
distributed every year all over the stste, with
this tax act, as monument to the wisdom OF
u originators and terror to the taxpayers.
That may be profitable job to the printers,
but 1t means another large item Of increased
taxation. Again. fhe labors Of town and
city assessors will be enormously increased
II this bill becomes law, aud OF course their
pay must be correspondiDgly increased. My
belief Is that this item alone Will, in a few
years, add to the burdens If the taxpayers
hundreds of thousands Of dollars.
But the crowning feature Of this bill Is
the attempt TO reach and tax debts Every
taxable inhabltant OF the stale Is required by
1t to make and deliver to the assessors full
and complete list Of all debts due to him on
the first day of April In each year, whether
due from solvent or insolyent debtors. This
means, Of course, If 1t means anything, that
every lawyer must return list Of all his IN
paid fees that ever doctor must do the same;
the publishers Of newspapers must send in
list OF their delinquent subscribers and ad-
vertisers; that all merchants, retail dealers,
and ap9thecaries and boarding house keep,
ers and mechanics must send list Of all
bills due to them on the first day Of April,
whether the bills are large or small, or good
or bad.
And there Is another burdensome fea-
ture In the bill. 1t requires not only list
OF all taxable property bu. also list Of ali
exempted property to be returned. II re-
quires list of our household furniture and
our wearing apparel, and all farming tools,
and mechanics tool and great number Of
other exempted articles to be returned.
And this law must be obeyed. Is has the
longest and the sharpest teeth of any tax
law ever before passed In this State. Double
taxation and the pains and penalties OF per
jury are to follow disobedience. Bloated
bondholders (the wasps and hornets, as the
chief justice calls them) will undoubtedly
break through the web and escape. But
assume that all honest citizens will try to
comply with its provisions or quietly submit
to its penalties.
But Is 1t not unklnd, Is 1t not cruel, to heap
upon our tax payers such an amount Of use
less labor? twill not reduce the aggregate
amount OF our taxes a single dollar. Moth
Ing but reduced expenditures will do that. II
VIII increase our taxes, add to our labors and
make our people more discontented than
ever before; and am utterly opposed to 1t.
Being asked what he thought Of the con-
stitutionality Of the proposed law, the Judge
declined to express an opinion.