The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-04
The Tax Law a Success.

have undergone a change of heart. When
he first appeared on the scene, fresh from
Michigan, where law for the exemption
of Inortgaged land from taxation had re-
Gently been passed for the benefit of the
farmer. his sole idea of tax reform was the
exemption of mortgages. Since the SUI
preme court OF Michigan has decided that
it is valid for the farmer TO agree
to pay all taxes assessed against
terest, insurance and other charges,
and inasmuch as all money-lenders
require this agreement, it has become
painfully apparent that the Michigan law
merely exempts money-lenders, while the
farmer not only pays all he did before, but
also must pay more because the total
value of taxable property has been re-
duced by the total amount of mortgages
on record. Mr.. LOCKWOOD has now pru-
IDENTITY dropped his mortgage exemption
scheme and seeks new worlds to conquer.
His last effort is an attempt to demon
strate that the increase of revenues for
state purposes does not fall on corpora
tions, and his method is a statement of
the increased state taxes paid by other
property. But he conveniently ignores
the fact that about eight-ninths of the
taxes paid in Indiana aside from taxes
for national purposes) are local taxes, and
that every dollar of increase of
state taxes from corporations means
an increase of eight dollars of
local taxes from them, and where local
officials have not increased local taxes,
the amount paid on the property of in
dividuals is decreased to the extent that
the amount paid by corporations is in
creased. If the farmer, or any other citi-
zen, pays dollar more of state taxes
with his right hand and dollar less of
lacal taxes with his left hand he is not IN
jured, and the increase of state taxes
really falls on the corporations, as the
democratic platform states. That is
precisely the effect intended to be pro-
duced by the new tax law. and it is what
has been actually produced, with q few
exceptions, where local officers have done
their duty. Taking the entire state, the
equal the entire increase for state pur-
poses, and thereby 1t is demonstrated that
the new tax law is correct in principle.
MIR. LOCKWOOD also displays conven-
lent ignorance Of the action of republican
local officials, which he might easily rem
edy by inspecting the official returns on
file in the office of the auditor of state
BY doing so he will learn that while the
new tax law called on forty-six republican
counties for S606, 1913 OF increased state
taxes the local officials made a total in
crease OF 81 $50, 030 S4-that is to say, they
uniform character of this action in these
counties shows that it was done inten-
tionallv, and further proof of this infamous
conspiracy Is found in the fact that the
republican officials of those counties
unite with MIR. LOCKWOOD in the cry
"a tax receipt will be very convincing
evidence" That is what they contem-
plated from the first These con-
spirators said among themselves, We
will increase local taxes and blame the
result on the tax law. We will unite in
the CRY, Democracy is a tax; if you do
not believe it, look at your tax receipt"
For example. Fountain county is asked
for SI3, 1894 of increased state taxes, and
the local officials make total increase of
S32, 2S5. IA the increase of railroad taxes
in this county is $l6,5l5.93. In jay
county the state increase is SS,SS0.S6, the
koto1 -
railroads S1l, 507 go In Lake county the
state increase is S2S,976.09, the total in
crease S134, O75.SS, the increase on rail
roads $39,974.35. In Rush county the
state increase is S14,922.2l, the total in
crease S47 1902, the increase on railroads
| S17 $3.50. In Wayne county the state
increase is S1S,77435, the total increase
SIS, 340.17, the increase on railroads SD
6O2 "A. Who increased the taxes in these
counties? What does the tax receipt
prove? Is any taxpayer so stupid that he
cannot see? The now law provided a
method for securing increased revenue
from corporations, and local republican
officials sought to discredit it by a wanton
increase of local taxes.
The method provided by the new law
was equal appraisement of all property at
true cash value This method is assailed
by Mr.. LOCKWOOD and he makes the fol-
lowing astounding statement as to the
| old system:
During all these years the county and
state boards OF equalization have been
trimming down the assessments which
were too large and increasing those that
were too small, working each year with
| the former years work as a basis, so that
| IL 10 belisred moro equal and just assess
ment could not be made than the one in
| 1890.
Who believes any such thing2 We
would like to see some person of common
intelligence who believes it was just to ap
praise one lone railroad at more than the
actual market value of it's stock anC
bonds, and appraise others at all sorts o.
rates, down to one-tenth OF their actua
market value. Mr.. LOCKWOOD cannot cite
single authority, from the various tar
commissions and students OF taxation
who have examined the question of assess
ment, that will support his statements
They all agree that when the basis OF tru,
valuation is abandoned equality of taxation
is lost; that any other system fayors tn,
1 Al