Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-09-29
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
sEnrSo AT rir srArr rAin GROUNDS
wrp>rspA, Eyr>I>G.

~
The meeting II the Maine Board OF
, agriculture was called Ia order AZ hall
past seven Wednesday evening At the
state fair ground. In Lewiston, by the
} chairman. Hon. Hall &. Burlc'sh, who
announced as the subject Of the m"c'ing
the old, Yet vital, question of taxation.
lie then introduced a. the hr.t speaker
of the evening, Prof. Rogers, of the
Maine state College, Orono.
We cannot In our abstract do Justice
10 the valuable paper read by this gen
tlcman. IL nce,ls to BE- heard Ia be fully
Appreciated.
i i.rof. Roger. spoke 20 the Importance
20 the last decade In history ani said
that the most Important change that
ha. taken place u the social change; the
disposition of the common people Ia flnd
and applv r-mesiI.. for social evils.
Twelve wear. ago political economy was
Confinei IA IA. coller, cls.. room; to-
ld,y. e,,onomIc question. are everywhere
discussed. Thr.. dl.cu..lon. of IN.
common pcople have given IN. .o-callcd
teacher. 81 politlcal .,onomy a truer In
.lgh, into the subject, for they now re-
ognlss that Il !. a living thing ot to-day,
NOT an imto..lble .st ~ conditions for =
race OF imr,o..ible being. In an impo..l-
bl. .otld
The constitution 81 our state provides
that .,all taXr. upon real aud personal
80. .h,ii >. ,n,,or,,oo.d and assessed
.ou.lly. ,,,ordin, to IN. lust value
,b~rrot- The conrt doe. not say that
an nrop.rtv .hall n. subject to equal
Itsx.tIon. hat that wh,t l. apportionc,l
hall .. spportIon..i and as.essci equally
and ihI. clause IA. trcn construed Very
lIher.Ily by IN. Legislature and the
court.
| Taxe. are levied for public purposes,
for an. .un,or, ~ government and for
IN. .,t.lnmsnt ~ tho.- objects for which
yo,,,nm.n, .,I.t..
m. ,,,r,i,n. ~ Government arr tir.t.
,hs r,n,sr,ion and u.lf.r, ~ the indiyid.
al ..,,oni. the support aud protection
/ "a ,,ou..,,y .ni nrop~rty rights. Al
i,. ath,, ,rtIxltl,. ar, subordinate.
n. ,II. a., ,,,r,io, ,h.r, 1. found
an. ia.,Iar,,,o, q, m. polI.tax. which
n -, ,,,..,. h,x. ohi.,,s,l to A.
| - -. =, 1'.,h,,I.y, = Tor IN. IniI,b.
~ - -. - .',,...,i., -, v..,l,b
80 ,,t',.,t. a. ...t., 4, an. .n,t.ort of
'-.'.,-.'..'. -. a.. d.,,xc. 80 many
''a. ,,.' n.-i1.. ,,.' -, man viii 90
- ,,a Ill. In , stronger .rn.e 81 ~
.,,on.IbIiity N a. 4. a sh,rcr la the public
hg,l.n.
,c,,nri,o, ,o Adam smith, "rhe sub
-. of every .t,t. ought to Coutributr
'i ~. .',,.,.,',, -, an. yoy.rnm.ut.
- rr..Ihl. in proportIon Ia
,...i, ,...,.....,t,. .hIli,l.. thai l.. Ia pro
.u ~, y, 49, ,sss,a. ,h,t ,h.y enjoy
lS','D. ~ ~, - =, ar, s,,,." int
.i,,,. "s,,' ~ -, ,nJ ,.y.,u. .nIoy.,l
puW :" l.'' t'',, ar. ST., ,r, tNo
sn,',' ,i., ~, -. 49,
-, - -. ,, am ,.npo, 80
" W" - - N ,t,,, a, In,ome Of
.,,. -. sIo.1 'I1,. n,in,.ipl..
..n - ,,,,,,,nn ~ nrotsttv
N'uS ~ ~ ',.,,.. -. AZ. ,,,,,Ion
=" i"s.' p''l J,,,. may a.
ni W.. N'A'S, p'vltS ,,,,n., =.
nf'u'hsn =, ''u''" :" ',I.'.,s.. a. a..
,I'y s.a's nI'', ~, ,,s,s ~ iniixiiu,ily. "r
A. !, ar. ,,ly uolItlc
is'..In,. ,..y,,,l mi. Fundamental prin-
- 80 ,..nn,ny the .,isi.ncc oi
,n i,1.n.nd.nt fact, We
-. az. -. a, an. New iI.mpshlr,
49,, I W. -, ., .x,,,... the second
,uI'ym, ..r'.',io, ",h,, 1. of prop-
',,.',ai,',i.n, ,or an. ntoisctIon
n, ..,,sn, .sari.-to IA.
Nn,.n w .i,i..n.-
"wy tiai. -, nrn,erty should b.
80
80 ,,,,,. ,,,l... thor, .hould t.. .ame
-, ", y, ,,,,,iI,. ,cIi,.y ,or exemption in
.'',, -.
49,. .,''.',t ,.,.,.,,,t ,,,,..,,y n. taxed In
.sa 'I's,.'.l,,, ,,,snn., az Al any Ie.. rate
anl " ~ .a,,,.s
,rr,aInly not unl-s. there are strong
mo,,xs. ~ publIc policy pointing 20 the
,dyi..bIlItV % such action.
p,of Rogers IA. given some valuable
.t.tI.ti,. showing that the morr that
u.r.onal property Increases under the
prutsxtlon of ia. government the less "
nav. for the suppnrt of government.
sIn regard "a money at Interest, In
sai, ION proml.sory no'e., in"''sag,.o,
security of any Kind there !. o" spphcul
reason Why u should NO, be taNei a. arc
IA. farms. the cattle aud the bor.c-'
Asa matter ~ publlc policy Ia. pro-
duccd no evil results Ia the states Ia
which Il 1. so taxed.
The holder. of such security may -aN
that the taxation of these Instrument.
will cause a higher rate OF Interest and
thus that the burd"n ""uiu I' up'u
IN. borrowsT a. At present. III thi. were
true the former might claim exemption
from taxation on the ground that the
consumers of Nj. product. must ulil-
matsly pay the tax. ~ mortgages,
note. aud debt. are taxed how .h'll We
avoid double taxailon' simply by proylu,
ing thata persons debts D. dcdactsd
from al. as.e,s and the tax be levied up
on hi. net property.
After somewhat lengthy and very
ali. di.cu..Ion of the defects of the
nre..nt .y.,sm of assessing taxes, plea
| ,h., money should, In Justice. b. taxed
uls o,h., prop@r,y. aud a recommenda-
| -, =, an. .tiny .y.tem. as a remedy
ii, :. many other interesting, val
a,,Is Thoughts. Prof. Roger. closed
In an .n,'.al ,o the farmer. not Ia be-
,,s'',I nm their Ignorance but To insist
- ,h. d.m,ni. of la ,,ice with voice,
~. mi .bo,. all with vote" aud a.
sn,s,I ,h.m that finally they would gain
their .nd.. TGr-at applau.e.l
Mr.. BurIeigh having been called away
p,,.li.nt NcHe.n of the board of agri-
'',,i,n,,. ,ool the chair aud introduced a.
,rs nsx, .r.aker. Hon. 4. NJ. spear, of
r',In.,
..Th. man" "A. said, "who has been
,,.,Iy ,.ll.,i th. champion of tax reform
lin tb. Legislature ~ ls.,O."
"My purpose," said Mr.. spear, "is 10
/ IN -, .t,.ution fan .one of the facts