Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-12-29
Tax Wealth, Not Poverty.

Or. White in the American Bookbinder.)
To encourage and facilitate the acqui-
sition of homes by those who now rent,
all dwellings occupied by their owners,
or those depending on such owners for
support, should be exempt from taxes
to the amount of one thousand dollars
on its assessed value.
This would relieve from taxes those
who live in humble homes on slender
incomes, and would not affect appreci-
ably those having liberal incomes and
elaborate homes. It is assumed that
dwellings are assessed at seventy per
cent of their value, admitting this to
be true and if there are any exceptions.
they are in favor of the moro expensive
homeA
At this ratio of taxation, homes val
ned at about three thousand dollars
are now enjoying exemption from taxes
the amount suggested in this commu-
nication. and the palatia1 homes OF the
wealthy are released from taxes many
times over what is here asked, thus it
is that the practice of differentiation
discriminates against the poor.
4
The deficit thus caused is largely met
by increased burdens on the homes OF
the city, this is previously unfair but
the exemption here claimed would be
equal, for it would exempt all homes
alike
It would give the owner of his home
an advantage over the speculator and
landlord, the amount of this exemption.
The homes of the common people are
matter of vital importance to the
community and are as conducive to the
substantial welfare of the country, as
are the houses of the clergy and Office
holders who occupy homes provided for
them free of taxes; therefore the poor
mans home should not be taxed.
Government is necessity and rev.
evue must be provided sufficient to de-
fray all necessary public expenses;
taxes for this purpose should be levied
in a manner to bear as lightly as posi-
BILE on the productive enterprises of the
people who give employment to labor,
while taxes could and should be in
creased on that unproductive wealth
held out of use for speculative purposes
and thus force such property into use
vacant land.)
This subject should be brought be-
fore our legislators for their considera-
ton and action, they could hardly do
less than grant this exemption asked on
behalf of the toiling masses who are
the wealth producers of the country.
The industry of owning other peo-
pies homes may be pleasant and profit
able for those engaged in it. but it con-
tributes nothing to the wealth or hap
piness of the community.
The system of landlord and tenant is
inseparable from civilization, but the
opportunity for men to escape this
humiliating condition of dependence on
landlords should be increased by offer
ing all tenants, on becoming owners Of
their homes, exemption from taxation
at least one thousand dollars
The remission of taxes, on the many
small and inexpensive homes of our
people, would necessarily increase the
rates on the larger aggregations of
wealth; this would be adjusting taxa
ton on the lines of justice and equity.
The expedients resorted to, under the
name and forms Of taxation, are mostly
of the character that seek to satisfy
their wants on the lines that offer least
resistance: therefore the poor, and be-
cause poor also helpless, property own
er, falls an easy prey to those maudlin
methods and pays a much higher tax
rate than his well-to-do and powerful
reighbors.
The taxing power of the government
should be used for the same purpose as
all its other functions, viz; for the
greatest good to the greatest number.
Homes appraised at one thousand dol
lars have nothing but the plainest
necessaries of life which are usually
obtained by severe toll These are
ample reasons why the tax collector
should never enter the poor mans door.