The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-29

classes OF personal property, should
pay the same amount, or about twelve
millions more than it now pays. Now,
if the figures given by the Auditor
General and the Secretary of Internal
Affairs are correct, and think no one
can dispute them, IN order to equalizc
as near as may be, the taxes of this
State between all classes of property,
something should be done by this Leg
islature toward giving the relief asked
for by the great mass of farmers, real
estate owners and laborers of this Com
monwealth. 1t has been estimated
that monied capital earns about FIVE
per cent per annum and that real es-
tate earns about two and one half. II
two men should have five thousand
dollars each to invest, the one purchas-
es farm and the other invests his
money in corporate stock or some
other class ofpersonal property. There
is no doubt but that the farmer pays
about five times as much tax as the
person who has his money invested in
personal property. Is there any doubt
that the burdens Of taxation are unev-
enly divided'
The bill under consideration does
not propose such radical change as
illustrated BY the figures which / have
just given you. These figures were
based upou the statistics and facts Civ
en- by those officers who have charge
of the finances Of this State, and can
no. be disputed. 1t is, therefore, our
duty as representatives Of the people
OF this great Commonwealth, to give
heed to the demands made by the
great majority OF citizens of this State
the largest class of property owners.
They have been knocking at the doors
Of this Legislature, ever since the ses.
sion opened, and thy are still waiting
to be heard on this question-hoping
and expecting that some relief at least,
will be given them. Every unbiased
student Of our financial policy will ad-
init that there is an unfair division Of
our taxes at the present time. This
inequality is apparent to all. Now, sir,
knowing these facts, is it not our duty
as Legislators to place upon the stat.
ute books some law which will make
more equal division of these burdensp
The farm and the workshops should
bear their proportion of the public bur
den; SO should the corporations, the
bonds, the stocks and other monied
capital and personal prof. erty of the
State. The practical operation of our
present law is that the corporations
and personal property in general pay
but small proportion of our taxes.
which adds to the burdens upon real
estate, while the latter is taxed with
out regard to the actual interest of the
owner in 1t. This presents proper
subject for action, and the suggestion
that real and personal property should
be placed upon an equal footing, for
all purposes of taxation, is worthy of
most serious consideration.
l might give YOU illustrations of
men who are worth from twenty-five
thousand to one hundred thousand
dollars, who have all their money in
vested in corporations or ether person.
al property, and who only pay a small
occupation tax, or perhaps, tax upon
horse. Why, sir, Mr.. Speaker, the
farmers, the mechanics the laborers.
who own small homes, and all other
classes who have the bulk of their
money invested in real estate and who
constitute more than four-fifths of the
citizens OF this Commonwealth. are
asking us to pass some law in refer.
ence to making a more equal division
OF these burdens. 1t cannot be denied
that money owners do not pay one.
fourth as much IN proportion to the
amount of property or income as the
owners OF real estate, which, in the
present as in the past, bears the heavy
burdens Of local and municipal taxa
tion, The property of a corporation
is no more sacred than a farm or the
small home of the laborer. Both are
property and are protected by the laws
which surround them. Should not
each bear its share of the burdens of
State and local taxation in proportion
to their value and income /? Shall we
throw aside and refuse to listen to the
requests of three-fourths of the tax
payers Of this State3 1t is our duty
as representatives Of the people in
passing laws, to treat all classes alike. |
The corporation, the farmer, the me. !
chanic, the laborer, and all other class. |
es of citizens should be put upon an |
equal footing. Shall we throw the arms