The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-03-04
The Tax Conference.


Brown reconvened on Wednesday night, oyeI
one hundred delegates answering to theil
names. The committee on permanent or
eanization, rules and order of business, re
ported that the rules of the House OF Dele
gates govern the conference; that no person
be allowed to speak more than twenty min
utes, except by unanimous consent nor more
than once on the same subject except BY such
consent; that all resolutions be referred 10 a
committee on resolutions without debate
and that the following persons be permanent
officers: Hon. Frank T. Shaw. President,
vice-presidenss, Edwin H. Brown, Queen
Anne's; Murray Vandiver, Hartford; Jacob
W. Hook and Skipwith Wilmor, Bal
timore city; Charles E. Coffin, Prince
Georges county; Joseph d. Baker, Freder-
iek: secretaries. George A. Pearre, ALE
eany: Joshua W. Miles, Somerset; Alfred ).
Niles, Baltimore city
Among the resolutions were the following :
By George p Buckley, of Carroll THAT all
visible aad tangible property, real and per
sonal, shall be subject to valuation, reassess-
ment and taxation, excepting that which be.
loHgs to State. county and municipal
corporations, and graveyards; that all unenu-
merated kinds of personal property be not
taxed, and that this clause inclnde mort
cages, promissOry notes, book accounts, sim
Die contract debts and other private secnri-
ties. Promissory notes, &c, are now doubiJ
taxed under the present law. For lllustra-
ton, the person who holds the promissory
note is taxed as on private security, and the
person who bOrroWs the money is taxed with
the property in which he invests it. That in
the event Of the passage of q law embodying
the above recommendation that the legal rate
of interest shall be reduced from per cent
to 8 per cent. A system of this kind will he
in favor of the borrower, who pays the take:
at the expense Of the lender, whose interest
is reduced / per cent, and will not drive
capital out of the State. which IS a very i'm
portant matter to be looked after. To tax
capital would be pernicious blow at the
prosperity Of the State
Mr.. Buckley submitted a suggestion for 8
system Of assessment. Il proposed the pas
sage of bill giving the Governor power 70
appoint one sworn assessor for each election
district in each county, such assessor TO be
empowered TO take under oath from all per
sons liable to assessment statement Of all
property owned and controlled by such per
son. ali differences to be adjusted by the
county commissioners.
By Daniel Wolf, of Frederick county,
near Union Bridger THE present extrava-
CANT expenditure of the public money is an
important factor in making taxes grievous-
The resolution urged the next Legislature 10
enact salary law that will scale down the
COMPENSATION Of State and county officials to
a mar with that which similar services will
command IN the open market
Various resolutions were offered on all sorts
of subjects, on home rule taxation, on taxing
incomes from ground rents, for an income
tax, for calling an extra session Of the Legs
Iature, for the Torrens system OF land titles,
&c.
The chairman announced the discussion oil
the fifth, sixth and seventh questions in Gov.
Browns address TO the conference was in or
der. These questions are
Fifth-Whether it would be advisable to
amend the constitution in such manner as to
enable the General Assembly to provide TOR
the assessing OF the property OF the State and
the city Of Baltimore, real and personal, for
State purposes, allowing the city OF Balu'
more to arrange her own local assessment for
local purposes, and at the same time allow
ing the counties of the State, if they SO desire,
TO make their local assessment so that each
individual locality could have control OF the
local assessment.
Sixth-And if you suggest an amendment
to the constitution what form Of amendment
would you recommend?
Seventh-Would you recommend TO the
people of the State such an amendment, and
ask the General Assembly the ACCESSIBILITY
of adopting such a measure, if convened IN
special session in the early summer for the
sole purpose of discussing and adopting, if
possible, constitutional amendment that
could be submitted at the November election
next, and, if approved by the people, an as
sessment bill in keeping Herewith could be
passed during the session of 1894?
There seemed to be an indisposition to
open the discussion, and finally Skipwith
Wilmer, of Baltimore, spoke in favor OF
home rule in taxation-that is, tax all alike
for state purposes, and allow each county and
the city of Baltimore to tax or exempt any
class Of property that may be thought advis-
able.
Alfred S. Niles. of Baltimore. followed in
favor of home rule.
E. NJ. Allen, of Hartford, spoke against home
rule, and said the counties would not aban-
don tht poor Of the city to the schemes OF the
wealthy. Thomas S. Hodson, of Somerset,
spoke against local option in taxation, and
said it was bad principle for anything
Philip d. Laird, of Montgomery CO., said:
The idea is to tax all classes of property, and
it involves listing of property. When you
discriminate as to the property to be taxed an
antagonism is created between the holders OF
different classes of property.
&C. Lyon Rogers, of Baltimore county, was
the last speaker He said he could not I'M
derstand the antagonism between people who
call themselves Marylanders. The system
in Baltimore. ne claimed, had depressed the
value of real estate in the city. You speak
about driving capital away" he continued,
SHUT what are you doing today? You are
driving our young men away. The farmers
of this State want a fair, square deal. Let
us say to the Legislature that We demand a
reassessment bill based on the fifteenth section
Of the bill of rights"