Smyrna times., 1893-03-29
For the Smyrna Tines
An Act to Equalize Taxation"

" An Act to Equalize Taxation"
On March 18th, 1898. in the House of
Representatives the above high-soundinp
Act had its first reading. It originates
probably with some members Of the
Farmers Institute" who feel that in these
"hard times" some such legislation as is
proposed, would better their condition.
ITO Evualize Tax ation''-it sounds well !:
at the first blush" and Oh the surface it
seems sensible and just that all owners
OF property, real, personal and mixed
should bear their proper proportion of the
taxes: that all kinds Ofinvestments, bonds.
mortgages and stocks, should be assessed
and taxed equally with all real estate
This is the gist of the proposition.
Let us see how it will work for the
farmer. They are in Delaware two classes.
landlords and tenants. A large propOr-
ton OF our landlords are practically inter-
ested in the tilling and improvement of
their farms and are, therefore, directly in
terested IN the welfare of their tenants
Owing to the unfavOrable and unproftable
condition of agriculture for the past three
or four years and the prevailing low price
of grain and failure of fruit in crOp and
price and the loss of baskets and berry
crates inflicted by the New York cOmmis
sion merchants, all of our farmers and es
peclally the tenants, have not been at all
fairly compensated for their Investment in
live stock and farming implements and for
the money paid for labor On the contrary
they have been losing and going behind
each year. This is fact generally admit
ted; In this condition nearly every land
lord finds it necessary to loan money to his
tenants. Now, is it right to tax such loans?
the landowner would be taxed for his farm
and taxed on the money loaned to till it -
a clear case of double tax How would il
benefit the tenant? If we had such a law.
the effect would be to drive out loans even
Of people residing out of the State, or to
exact usuriOus rates for loans by safe meth
DDS. The question to consider is. whether
the borrowing class of the community
would be benefited. The loud and com
mon talk Of bringing down the money
lender, who has his box stuffed with bonds
and mortgages and bank and railroad
stocks, to the level Of the real estate owner
and tiller sounds very well; but we have
no such class of railroad millionaires in
Kent and Sussex, We are simply plain.
well-to-dO people; and, if q few may here
and there have by industry and frupalitv
made and saved money and invested It
m bonds and mortgages at home. or in
railroad bonds or stocks abroad. why. thew
have right to do it. They run an enor-
nous risk in so investing: and sometimes
lose heavily. Don't they risk enough.
without taxing them?
Farmers will not as rule, take such
risks. Would it be beneficial for n moor
farmer who wanted to sell 500 horse 10
his neighbOr ION time" to be taxed for his
note? All the public sales of live stock
and farm implements we have every win
ter producing so many judgment notes.
would be injured by such law-fsr ali
these notes would be taxed. The law is
crude and carelessly constructed.
In Section g. at the 54th line. it reads.
z
agreements, Acknowledgements of indebt-
edness of every kind, bearing interest or
yielding profit, revenue or income of anv |
description and whether or not such inter- |
est, profit, rev enue or income is included |
IN the body of the instrument, &c" This !
includes leases of farms. They are con- |
tracts or agreements yielding profit " |
are. They could be.sold in the market for |
a valuation Of half the farms products |
Here the law strikes the landowner again
tax on his farm and tax on his lease-dOuble |
taxll
Now to go from the particulars to the
more general view. Take the proposed |
tax on the Banks. They already paw a
state tax: that Is, for their corporate
franchise they owe their charter RIGHTS +o
the State: and their only obligation TO the
State IS thus met. But, what has tho
county, town and school system got to do
with their taxation? Do thew not benefit
the town and county in which thew are To-
Gated? Do they not extend credit to ali
iair ana Industrious citizens? Do they not
incur risk in their business Why s6onld
they De taxed to help country, town and
senool, when, by the very noture of their
eharter and their practice of discountiDg.
their object is TO help the citizens by loans
of money. 'N'''''
Look at this clause in Section u. "And
any person who shall directly or indirectly
threaten any debtor to collect his debt be-
cause OF the imposition of tax imposed by
TINS Act, shall likewise be guilty of mis-
0emeanor; and upon conviction shall be
punished, DC" Who wrote this bilP Is
not this language nice imposition of the
tax imposed ]" But seriously, this clause
ls unconstitutional. The law cannot inter-
iere with the vested rights Of the creditors.
nor prevent him from collecting his debt
That can be no misdemeanOr.
But now let US close these reflections
with short, general view OF the whole
act.
It is Of a most inouisitorial cbarocto-
searching into the pockets, boxes. clos
ets, garrets and cellars Of individuals. and
.nelr cast on clothing for all outlawed con-
tracts and due bills-a picayune business
putting all persons to the ransaekin0 Of
their brains for every one dollar loan to |
wear DeIofe tne assessor Of the Hundred ! (
under the imputatiOn of keeping back !
some little secret. This smacks ofFensivelv
of the wartime's tax We thought we had |
done with that forever! What class of |
men desire TO pry into the minute secret
affairs Of their EeighbOr's business or in
gestments THE present system of tara
lion IN the State of Delaware is adeouate
20 all the proper needs of herself and her
counties. The policy of the party in
power has all along been conservative on
ne question Of taxation, and has never va
led from IT, The Democratic marty has
never sought ~ uusettl4, reform or r9odifv {
his system.
Such legislation as ia contained in this
M ~ j. On .- InAugurated by ,
/ People na... need be no faoJr
u such party IA Delaware. If the Farm
sr5 Institute are going out of their proper |
phere Of considering agricultural subjects
Q make laws and organize a peoples marty {
ney Will very soon learn that the farmers ,
i the State which was the hrst to ratifv
ne Constitution Of the United States !
lave not lost their heads and will not turn
heir backs upon their old historic party.
Neverl F'''