The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-07-10
= BLESSING TO INDIANA.
Tho New Tax Law A Wise Meas
lEe.

l
Tho New Tax Law A Wise Mea,
At the midsummer meeting OF the II
diana democratic editorial associatio
held q Lake Msxinkuckee Hon. John
Beasiey, representative from Sullivs
county. delivered, BY invitation. On q
dress npon the new tax Law. The "a
Idress, which IL IN able and couvinciu
argument 10 published BY Request or th
Association and 10 - follows:
Mr. PREsIDExr AND GESrLEnES o
THE ASSOCIATION When the general II
lsembly OF 1891 convened on the eth d.
lof January. that body found itself con
fronted with . state debt approximate, q,
nine million dollars. with an annual ex
|penditure Of two million dollars aud
total ordinary annual revenue Of one an,
one-half million dollars, with an empt,
treasury, and with q tax and revenu
syetem confessedly imperfect and inef
fcient.
The governor had called especial at
teDtinn 20 these matters in his biennia
message TO the general assembly; they
bad all been onspicuously prominent il
The campaign preceding; the press o
The state had called attention to them
and the people we're anxious for . re
vision Of our tax and revenue laws.
HOW TIE Law WAS MADE.
The legislature, In obedience to the de.
msnds OF The people and the exigenciel
u the occasion, addressed itself to the
enactment OF Q new tax law, which
would embrace some Of the provisions
which cur new and progressive civiliza.
ion and conditions seemed TO render
necessary. In order 10 accomplish this
purpose some OF the best men In the
general assembly were chosen on the
committee on ways and means in the
rouse and the committee on finance ia
he senate, respectively. The committed
Dr. finance in the senate consisted ol
Senators Magee. Hayden. Byrd, Howard,
Akin, Hobson and Clemans, the first i've
iemocrats and the last two republicans.
The committee on ways and means in
he house consisted OF Representatives
OppsDheim. Curtis, Hsrrel, Nolan, Work
suo ASrocsCyS ogsuoSt 3tes ouO OtRIctcuto-
ives Hess. Claypool and Haggard, re-
publicsns. and confessedly among the
strongest men the republicans had in
hat body. AZ soon q these COM
nittees we're appointed an arrangement
sas msde whereby they we're 10 eel
|ointly ID eho preparation OF Z new lax
|sw. 10 Ghat end joint meetings Were
ha3 of Tie Two committees, % which al
he members 0f both committees we're
Invited irrespective Of politics. lt Was
'oon discovered that the work OF pre-
,aring . bill could better be accomplish
ID With fewer members present, and
Nth consequent Iess confusion. Il was
herefOre mutuslly agreed that . sub
committee from each Of The two commit
ees named, should be appointed, and
hese sub-committees we're 70 engage in
be actual preparation Of the bill. On
hese sub-committeca the republicans
I'D . representation . well 6 the demo-
rats. and the work Of preparing . bill
'r0ceoded without any reference to poll
ica or political effect. The work pro-
'ressed slowly. - it involved great deal
4 clerical labor aud . vast amount OF
tudy and comparison Of existing laws
. this and other states. covering the
anne subject. At last, however, when
be sub-committecs had the bill COM
'leted and ready for introduction, the
anne was submitted to . general meet
Dg Of the full committees before men :
Toned, and vas fully and infinitely ex-
'Iaincd and discussed. The bill was &C.
eptable 70 oil the members Of both COM
nitteee, save that there Vas some doubt
xpressed - TO the provision requiring
abroad corporations TO pay sll their
axes % the state and b relieved OF local
axes, and relieving all other property OF
he stats from the pay ment Of state taxcs
ntirely. Al this juncture and upon
bic proposition the democratic members|
4 The house learned, for the first time,
hat there was to be any politics In the
egislation Of the session concerning the
question OF taxation. Led on BY the In
Journal and the railroad cor
'oration lobbyists. the republican lead.
rs In the house suddenly discovered|
hat that provision Of the law was prob
bly, unconstitutional and would operateI
nequitably upon different parts Of the
lnto. Auey tucIeupOu SET oOOut 70 de
sat II, which they did, BY the aid oil
ONE members Of our own party, who
5ere compelled to take that position byl
be people Of their respective localities,
there. they were led to believe. such 81
Nv would ruinously affect their local
lxation on other property. After the
efeat Of that proposition Of the law,
'hich We then believed and yet believe
, have been the most valuable provisionl
, II. there remained no other alte rnativel
ut TO increase the tax levy for state pur-
oses. and In lieu Of the provision just
. provision Was enacted BY 81
spsrate bill. creating . levy Of 8 cents
n the 500 for the special purpose Of
sising sufficient funds to meet the con-
antly increasing expenses Of our grow
lg benevolent institutions. A the law \
ssscd. however, II was practically with
ut opposition, and particularly il II true.
MT there was no republican opposition
, Q single feature OF the Law which our
publican friends have % industriously
III % insincerely condemned and criti- I
sed since the Law went into operation.
THE ALLEGED OBJECTIONS.
We will briefly notice these alleged
"A a