The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-26
IGNORANCE Or AUDAOITY-WHICH7


Candidate Matthews, in his speech at
Rome City few days ago, is quoted as
making the following declaration:
Now, gentlemen. if any one here paid
any more taxes this year than last. the
trouble hes with your local authorities and
not IN the Jaw. You paid no moro taxes TO
the State than before. for the reason that
the State placed all its increase on corpora
tions. and not on the farms, but upon rail
roads and corporations, and your county
and township officers are responsible for
your increased taxes.
To man of ordinary intelligence it
seems incredible that the Democratic
candidate for Governor could stand be-
fore an intelligent audience and make
such statement. The State valuation
under the Democratic tax-law was in
creased $685., 066,006. This increase is
made up as follows: Land and improve
ments. $152, 261, 1856; lots and improve
ments, $93,ss5.679; personal property,
$50. $50, 792; total, s3O3. O6O. 79a; increase on
railroad and telegraph property,
800, 005, 214. The same Democratic Leg
islature which increased the valuation
also increased the tax levy for State
purposes from 10 to 10 cents per 800
and left the school levy at 16 cents.
There must be an increase of State tax
alton for general State purposes of 81
cents on each 500 on the increased val
uatior, namely. on Sa99. 5000. which
amounts to 81, 1856. S24.40. As the increase
of the valuation of railroad property,
etc., was 500. ,214, the increased tax
due to increased valuation is $780,
417.68, leaving the increase on lands,
lots, Improvements and personal prop
erty $1,000. 406.72. OF this increase
1886, 500. 46 falls upon land, lots and i'm
provements: that is. chiefly upon farms
and homes. In addition to the increase
of taxation on the increased valuation,
there was an increase of cents per
500 on the valuation of 1S9O-SS57. 674,-
3S7-of which the railroad and telegraph
corporations pay $3S, GAGS. and the
other property S475.062. That is. the
total increase of corporation taxes for
State purposes under the Democratic
law is $685.. 06O.36, while the increase of
taxes upon other property for the same
purpose is S1.505, 63S. 70, or an increase of
more than "a on general property to an
increase of 81 ON railroads. etc. 1t is
really more than this, because in the
above calculations one or two small
levies for State purposes are not in
Guided.
Special attention is called to these fig
ures because Mr.. Matthews, the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor. is going
about the State telling the people that
all the increase of taxation for
State purposes is laid con corpora
tions, and not upon farms" With
an increase of State taxation on
farms and farm improvements alone of
S702. 1912, Mr.. Matthews stands I'D
and declares that ''your county and
township officers are responsible for
your increased taxes" Can it be pos
sible that Mr.. Matthews does not know
better? If ne does not he is SO utterly
unfit to be Governor of Indiana that his
party leaders should ask him to resign
the candidacy. IT he does know bet
ter and makes such palpably false state
ments, believing that tho mass of people
will never know of their falsity, he has