The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-12-23
Home Rule in Taxation.

Home Rule in Taxation.
Mr. Richard NJ. McSherry, Of the Bal
timore Bar, in pamphlet on Talks on
Taxation in Maryland, says:
This is what the people want Absolute
control of local affairs, and surely, II they
have the right to say what valuation shall be
nut upon the property and what rate shall be
mid on that valuation, there can be no rea-
son why they should not have also the right
to say what property should be assessed.
This doctrine OF home rule is so intrinsically
fair, so absolutely reasonable, that 1t is dill.
cult to see what argument can be produced
against it.
Always bearing in mind that assessment
and levy for state purposes remain uniform,
what possible difference can 1t make to any
one taxing district in the state in what man.
ner or on what property any other district
raises its local taxes? What would it matter
TO Wicomico county if Allegany county ex
empied coal mines from taxation? What
does it matter to ST. Mary's county that Balt
more exempts manufacturing plants? How
is Hartford concerned in local taxation IN
Dorchester or vice versa? What earthly rea-
son can there be why each district should not
have full power to regulate its own affairs and
make its own assessment?
OF course Mr. McSherry cannot conceive
of any argument against his position, be-
cause he has wrong conception of the
relation the subdivisions of the state bear
to the whole. The counties of Maryland
are not independent and sovereign, like the
states of the Union. They constitute one
sovereign state. Every county is inter-
ested in every other county and munich
pality. Interested in its tax rates and in
terested in its assessment.
Home Rule in assessments for local pur
poses might result disastrously to a com
munity. The exemptions, most surely,
would aid the rich and Cypress the poor.
The Home Rule theory is advocated only
by those who desire TO escape contributing
their just proportion of the public burden,
because they see determination upon the
part of the people of the counties to have
an assessment law that will require all
to contribute according to their worth in
real and personal property They are
willing to be taxed for state purposes, be-
cause the tax rate of la cents on the 500
is very low and would not materially in
terfere with their incomes 1t is local
taxation they desire to escape, and the
Home Rule theory, IA very plausible one,
is being disseminated industriously through
out the state.
"What does it matter to st. Marys {
county that Baltimore exempts manufac-
turing plants % asks Mr.. McSherry. 1t |
matters this much-it is class legislation.
favoritism, wrong in principle and hurtful
in practice 1t exempts capital from pay
ing its just part of the public expenses, and {
throws the unequal burdens on the toiling
people with small homes and
small earnings. Manufactures are pro-
ected now, by government taxation. The
has stimulated the establishment
md growth of industries beyond the needs !
# the country. IF the protection now at
orded is not sufficient to enable the manu-
acturiug plants of Baltimore to exist, they
tand upon very in6rm foundation. If
urther protection is afforded by the ex-
mption from local taxation, the establish
nent of industries will be stimulated still ?
urther
1t is not manufacturing plant exemption,
however, that the Home Rule advocates
esire They have that in Baltimore now, to L
ONE extent. and the exemption was awaited {
fby establishments that was never intended II
o be exempted. The manufacturing plant 9
was only mentioned to mislead u
he people 1t is the hidden and invisible Il
which the people want to reach 0
" new assessment law that is intended y
O beexempted The tax-dodgers, seeing II
he certainty of a new assessment law, have :,
aiken refuge behind the specious doctrine n
{ Home Rule. They are able to control p
he city of Baltimore, and they will exempt c,
he great bulk of personal property. The z
mall householders, small traders, the me- n
hanics and laborers will be forced to bear al
he main burden Of the city government, d
nd these are the bone and sinew of the
tate, its mainstay, its wealth producers. 81
Dppress them, and you retard progress, IL
eyelopment, immigration, increase ofprop- Q,
rty aud growth of the taxable basis, and 81
ne whole state has an interest in this. Z
Iarylanders are one people, one commu- u
ity. County lines do not divide them II
ito separate peoples with different inter- Dc
SITS. And it would not be just for the
,unties to surrender the masses of Balti- d,
lore to the tender mercy of the captalistic tn
ass-the tax dodgers. in
-,
The New Tariff Bill. ii,