Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-05-12
TAX REFORM

Editor D,mocrh
All through the past summer and fsl
the agitation for tax reform seemei q
De- the one eugro.slng topic II public Ia
terest. II seem-si to be generally con
c,,lc,l by al parties, so hr q. the en-
preston II opinion publicly gOc., thai
small property osners, farmers especial
Ia, were paving motr than their Just pro
portion of the isxr.. Belonging Ia the
latter cla.., ~. writer Ia. watched with
Interest the course of event. Al the stats
capital for the Iast wiHisr to zee What
would be the final outcome. Well. the
Legislature IA. met ani pcrfo. mcd IL.
function. anl come b IL 10 the people,
and what ha. he-n donef \ boa,d oi
state Assessors Ia. iren created ani a
law passed to tax dog..
\. the duiie. assigned to ~. ~tste
Assessor. are such as have heretofore
bsrn performed hy officials Who viii siill
continue a. cXi.t. the Inference seems Ia
he ihti the saii ofiichls were either over
worked or That the work Was not we'll
done. Ot yuurse the lysgl.laturc would
MT ~i.h ~ 'iepleie the state treasury Ia
the tune ~ fiyr ar .ix thousand dollars q
wear foe thu purpose ~ giving three gem
ilemen. ciilfrns II the state, Oilicrs u iill
fat salarir. attached. Hat What Nc
fifmsr. would like a. know u, how cur
burlsns arr ~ be- llghicned thereby
The dog tax Il something after the
nature IL the law hNing bnuniy Ou
rroWs; u mty he In the Interests ~
fifmrr+. hut thcrr arr lot. Who will ~
fi.s o. se, u 80. N u had been left
Optional with tnsns to cuiury. the ltw, T.,
tie metsur' would d" less Objectionable.
n riiir. Nl.h a. fid their .trcrts of q 'u-
p~ffiuity II worthless ours, lct thcm
have ilr l,gtl power bv all mcin.; hut
thsrr are hundred. IL farmer. IN this
state Who have dogs valued. 80 to speak.
as msmtsfs 20 their families, which arr
r-,l h.lp-rs aud p,v their keep many
times over IN faithful services renders q.
II may D. III right, and I."Thap. the
firncss Won't Nick Nhrn they have tn
paw this tsN, or have their faithful dog,
companion, servant. friend, huiCher~l
before their sye-. II only tvm,in. Ia
give the screw another turn by diving .
tax on cit. anI hens, then the farmer
can rr.t IN the full consciousness ~ duty
.ublimely done. al hi. belongings, p"ts
sni property paving their fall quota of
taNrs.
N IN. farmers hay- not been fairly
dealt with. Who !. to blamef The lrg-
i.ltiur- ju.t adiourns va. supposed to
b. emlnrniiy favorable to the farming
Interests Representative men ~ this
class ocrupls,l seats ln bath lIouss ani
senate IN sufficient numbers to look we'll
after the lntsrests IL their Own people,
sni u /. "a. writer. hFm belief thst likr
many preceding l.ssi.laturr., they have
filcl to corrryt rNisting evils, not 80
much frpm lack ~ disposition ne from
Inability a. unite on practicable method.
ot doing 80.
Whist tho people have got "a do i q"
-nirr intn tho spirit ~ the matter th"m-
sslVrs. WHEN thcv shall hiy" b"cumr
t.surr,i that thrir demiuds srr lust, they
t,n pre-. their claims In q manner admit.
ting ~ np iruitl. liut farmer. must not
m ~ the mistake ot binding together to
comt"l cls.. legislation. that cour.e can
only end in ii.tst~f. What Ne shnuld
drm ,ni, q. fliting qualifications, arr in.
trlligrnr- sni parity ~ character. !
wouli rather have an hone't Intelligent
l,Syst to l-gl.l,ir Tor m~ than au hon
1T lgu'rant farmer.
n iseasy enough to note Nhcrr the
hurlrn ~ aNation nov ftll. unlustly,
hut ~ devise q better schsm~. that u ih"
puIile. IN. farmer Who !. hetyily
moftgsgrl p,v. hi. fall quota ot iaNcs
In addition to ,he yearly intrr-st. II h"
l.. - q. l. .N..HL -
Kind. u w his possession on April 1t, hr
mu.t pay nNs. on them although b.
must soon .~ll th~m 90 pay th" debt.
Real estate anil stock arr belongings
that cannot D. concealed. and a. ihrsr
Ia great measure constitute the farm
-r'. wealth. 80 he !. more fully reached
by the tax collector.
Many people arr dlspo.ei to shirk as
much a. Ios.lhle the buuisns ~ TAXATION
aud VI I. With them considered q yrniil
uffrncr a. outWit the tax asssssor. Ia
thi. elias. are unlOubtSlly Ia b. found
many Wrll.to-,lo farmers, Tor am sorry
to stv the most .urvcs.ful shifks arr
usuilly possessed ~ abunitnt meins.
Nn old fellow knew of years ago, .
mtn ~ property sni ~ Inh"r ot ih"
church. us.si to take refuge in the cellar
Nh-n the assessor. made their yearly
n.ii.
The matter can never b. b-ttcrci by
criminltion or rrcrimlnltion, by array
ing rla.. against cia... ia. hrst step
toward reform must De- to ril'e th" gen
rr,l standard 10 morality among all
property hollrr. The Legislature that
can devise aud unite to carry such plan
Into effect will have touched the very
heart II the offending evil.
y. :. BANLR.