Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-06-22

cessfully resist their enforcement.
They must be repealed, and our rem
edy is at the polls.
3. That the enforcement Of these
laws imposes double taxation upon
every person engaged in manufacture
ing or banking within the State OF
Tennessee; that the weight of this
taxation falls finally and inevitably
upon all citizens who depend upon
the existence of manufactures TO-
employment, and all enterprises tn II
for their existence depend in any de,
grer CT manhcr upon the nse Of bnr
rowed money; aud that the business
of the small manufactures, whose
output is hardly more than his own
days work will accomplish, is taxed
in precisely the same iniquitous, ir
rational manner rs is plant wherein
81 ,OO0. 600 is invested.
4 That the existing privilege taxes
and ad valOrem upon personal prop
erty are in the nature of cruel and
unusual penalty upon thrift AID in
dustry. The committees researches
fail to disclose any lawful business
occupation that is not taxed and to
give an instance, the absurdity of the
law that imposes privilege tax of
$50 per annum upon every butcher
in Chattanooga and privilege tax OF
$50 FER annum on every dummy
railroad in Chattanooga, needs no
fur ther comment.
5. The present method of collecting
all taxes and the methods of enforc-
ing payment thereof by legal pro-
ceedings, are shamefully costly, cum.
bersome, inefficient and slow, and by
their own intricacy demand and en-
ploy and pay for the services of about
| five men TO do one mans work.
This committee among other things
recommends:
l.. The tax levy must be reduced.
2. Double taxation should be stop
ped.
8. Privilege taxes should be done
away with or imposed with equality
and fairness.
4. The whole scheme OF taxation
must be such as will equally further
the agricultural, industrial and com
merclal interest OF the people of Ter
nessee.
5. The assessment and collection ot
all taxes must be simplified and the
present expensive army Of tax gath
erers, and back tax gatherer, and aS
sistant back tax g"ihcrera, 10 render
ed superfluous. Observation rnd cN-
rerience have conS inced y'ur com
mittee that one cfli 1al en- collect
three taxes as qnicRly and doubtless
as cheaply as ihre officials n try 10
collect one ,ck tax.
| Unless the people OF Tennessee are
willing TO drive capital out of the
State and stop The Influx Of capital
which has been steadily flowing In
this direction since 1884, until recent
ly, and to cripple all kinds OF busi-
ness enterprises which are and have
been undergoing trying ordeal dur.
ing the present financial depression,
: then it Is time that a united effort be
made 10 elect men TO The next Gen
eral Assembly who are able and
willing to remedy these evils. Past
experience shows that 1t is loo late Ia
, get relief after the election. Go to
work and see that the opposition tt
these unjust and oppressive laws Is
organized anil public sentiment Il
, crystalized before candidates for the
. Legislature are nominated. There Is
. property enough in Tennessee which
. can be taxed so as 10 raise money
enough to economically administer
our government without injury t.
I any business or the general prosperity
I of all.
r We earnestly recommend that |
o Tax Reform Association be organizee
!. i'm every county in the State at once
r Respectfully,
w. B. SwANEY, Chm'n.
III. 3. CHAMBERLAIN,
:, JNo. w. FAxoN,
u M. III. Cliff.
II II TyIEp