New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-25
DISCUSSING ECONOMICS.
CuArIAUoUA PAPERS ON TAXATION AND
FARMERS, MOVEMENTS.
FIRST DAYS Session OF THE AMERICAN ECO
NoMIC ASSOCIATION AT THE LAKESIDE
THE WATER WORKS QUESTION.

cbautoucua Aug o4.-The first regular SESSION. vi
the American Economic Association, held TINS hor'
Ing was characterized By promptness ana uiSpa'N"
mot often associated with conferences OF this
At 10 O'Clock vccPresident william W. Folweii '"''eu
the meeting TO order In the Hall OF fmiosop"s'
| s NJ Dick, president Of the Missouri wesleyan Oo'
leee read n paper the effect OF the taxation Vi
personal property the farmer. lie stated that our
nresent system OF taxation Is the system OF hundred
wears ago: that the farmers OF the country 'ou'S
| bear n heavier burden OF taxation In proporuon 10
the amount Of capital invested than any other III
portant industry in the country that the par'oha'
propery In Ohio is equal to the real property ana that
nearly 300 900 900 OF taxable personal properly
in that State alone Is not found on the tax Duplicate
and hears no portion OF the public burden; that asr-
culture today pays less interest on the capial Ill
vested than almost any other leading INDUSTRIES.
The speaker held that since personal property canhot
be taxed and justice be maintained revenue shonli De
obtained from other sources Mortgages, Ike All
other personal property cannot be taxed, and justice
,oward the farmer Is not maintained. President DICK
said I'm CONCLUSION that the entire abolition Oh per-
sonal property taxes would never receive te CONSENT
Of the farmers OF the country The speaker beheVeo
that the ends OF Justice could be reached by taxing
| franchises and inheritanccs
Edward A. Ross. Associate Professor OF Poiiucai
Economy at CorDen University. presented a paper
| entitled "a New Canon Of Taxation The speaker
analyzed the nature OF tax ana declared that us
direct effects could be reduced TO DroducveneSs ana
| prsibitlveness. The one appears when the TAX Is
paid the other when the tax heavy as To suppress
tho taxed subject The latter class have never been
treated scientifically and have usually been Ignored
BY inanccrs It has been usually supposed that the
burden OF a tax IS measured by the money paid The
iact i that the real burden Of tax Is the sum OF
~; productive and It's prohibitIve effects. The pro
hlbve effects OF a tax dead waste; they Cypress
the people without benefttng the public treasury.
when tax for revenue alonc.' said the SPEAKER
we would select taxes that are highly productive
and the best subjects for such taxes are monopoeS
Professor Ross finally presented the following propo-
ston q, the new canon: |" A tax for fiscal purposes
should have the least possible prohihtve effect
NJ " Baker associate editor OF Engineering
News sent an able paper on Municipal ownership
OF waterworks' Tho paper stated that at the close
Of $50 Of s7s works in the United states soG or
- per cent were owned by cities, while practically
all other natural monopolles have been given over
10 private companies. At present there Is strong
tendency toward municipal ownership. The average
rates charged private consumers by 40 companies aS
shown BY the Manual OF American waterworks' for
lssg-eO AZ per cent higher than those charged
by 3Is cities for the same service. large part OF
this difference Is due 10 the fact that many cities
charge and make up the deficiencies in cost
Of service by general taxation. But a waierwOrks
company enjoys almost absolute monopoly, ana
exists solely 10 make money, while municipal plants
profits are made they 60 10 the people. Municipal
indebtedness for waterworks is Chased with the
other debt, Of cltit BECAUSE waerworks uc source
Of revenue and part OF 4 city's assets. All
things considered, public works seem 10 be quite aS
efficiently managed private, while the public health
Is probably safer with work, under municipal control
Professor Edwin II. A. selignau, OF Columbia Col
lege In an address on the theory Of progressive taxa
ton said that progressive taxation has been Of great
practical Importance especially In democratic c0un'
tries OF the various theories advanced the speaker
held that the socio political or socallstlc theory IS
utterly untenable and would mean oonhscation Inc
compensatory theory that the state creates lhequai
ties and ought to make good the results OF It's own
acton Is likewise inadmissibe. lie maintained t"t
from the abstract point OF view less injustice would
be- done 10 the average man By progressive than by
prop jriional taxation From the practical point oi
view however progressive taxation Is not eNpdleh''
The members OF the association this afternoon made
tour Of tile lake by invitation of the Chautauq"a
management
Farmer WAS tic subject treated by Professor Edward
W. Bemis, Of Chicago University. lie said tiiAt inc
fact Of the farmers discomfort needs proof 1t Is
truo that recent census ln'estBaoh mas SHOWN 1893
mort cages than had supposed. The mortgages
m Kansas are less than 30 per cent OF The value OF NE
farming land less than 90 per cent In Nebraska less
than IS per cent In Iowa, under IA per cent In
Illinois under IL per cent In Alabama and under u
per cent I'm Tennessee. Yet the Increase OF tenant
farming IS bad sign and Is considerable III oeeree'
Relatively the value OF farms has decreased III com
pari.sn with other property In the llted states lhe
nrrcs az CROPS lave greatly fallen and this has Hahe
IN. PAYMENT Of mortgages moro and more dmcui''
p, N. fall in the price OF what the farmer buys has
h.en even greater than the fall In the price OF what
the farmer sell, as was shown BY many hRues'
complete remedy IL impossible, nor the tendency Oh
civilization Is against the farmer AS wealth. III
creases there l. greater demand for inner hhshhg Vi
,,oducts rather than for more raw material. Ims
tendsncy 10 the more rapid growth VI Inc CITY Is
| Inevitable.
Certain improvements IN the farmers condition were
| suggested, among them reform In local taxauoh'
which would relieve somewhat the small lahuo"hers'
and Increased expenditures OF state fuhds ior ronS
| and schools. Ignorant and lazy farming must W
stopped. The interest on farm mortgages msht DE-
much lowered through Institutions like German credit
unions little like our saving and loan associatohs'
II WINS shown that there Is need for sub'Ireas-
ury as the farmer can now obtain ABOUT ~ inurn
for his crops Immediately after hIrves, ms ny "nS
| IN months The speaker held that there Is necd vi
aiy.rsifyipg crops such rs must be consumed near
the place Of production IL was held 5at NJ s n.gr
Europe and America could unite In the free coinage
oil nv df the farmer were further considered
hv Protessor c. s. Walker, of the Massachusetts Az
IN Ss' Scnsr% RIes and said that the
Of farmers s nersssd aema mae I"pp eon
| cultural proNucts DtyoHu w So,
sea,ent fail OF price, and other producers nave NOT
kept up with Che ter OF the soil The farmer OF TO-
day has come the conclusion that his own Interests
demand that he should Systematically devote ume , 10
the fnlnment OF those duties which he owes 10 ,ne
country and to society The speaker explained 'hat
| the +" farmers movement Is the organization oil
farmers for the Of agriculture and educa
| ton. The farmer has learned that the secret OF
dstrIbuive cooperation Is large orders for cash IA
| vance has been made In establishing creameneS and
cheese factories, and exerbltant manufactures nave
| often been brought to terms by direct competition
! Enough has already been accomplished to show that
the educated and organized farmer viii master the
moral and economic difficulties, both distributive
| and productive, far relates to agricultural pur
| suits. l.,
ON the regular programme Edward T. Lee ectured to-
| day on The senate at Work. and this evening Dr.
| s r. Palmer. the able conductor OF the Chaitauqun
school OF Music. gave conversational description OF