Middletown transcript., 1895-05-25
MIDDLEToWN, DEL, MAY 25, 1896.
agricultural
OF Interest
ITO Farmers
Reasessment in Maryland.

ReaSeSsment in Maryland.
Maryland gives promise of being
stirred politically this year as not be-
fore for long time. The agricultur-
ist too begins to feel that it is time he
should take hand, and the subject
that interests him is ''reassessment. :"
Perhaps the "leven" may work its
way over the line into Delaware, for
the inequality and injustice of Delaware
assessments are proverbial. 1t cannot
be otherwise under the system. With
a Constitutional Convention in view
farmers should begin to discuss the
question that they may know what
changes to propose in the laws when
the Convention meets. 1t is not too
early to begin now.
The Kent News has the following
interesting synopsis Of an address
delivered before the Deer Creek Farm
ers' club by ex-senator Thomas G..
Hayes, of Baltimore, recently. He
said in part:
The overwhelming and paramount
issue in state affairs, one in which all
the people of every part of our State
are most deeply interested, is reassess-
ment and reform in our system of
taxation.
"The cry for relief from unjust, un-
equal and excessive taxation comes
from every hamlet, village, town and
city all over our State, as well as from
the farmers, who, amidst the green |
fields, from early morn till late at |
night, toll to earn scanty living from |
the soil they cultivate. The sturdy |
mountaineer from his mountain home
joins in the same cry for relief as do
the dwellers in the verdant plains be-
low; the same wall is borne along the
slopes which lead to the sea, until it is
caught up by the thrifty fisherman and
people of the tidewater, and their
prayers for relief, as they ascend to
Heaven, are by the inland breezes
waited back to the crest of the noun
tains from which they came.
''The people Of Maryland, irrespec-
tive of party, creed or calling, are de-
manding relief from unfair and un-
equal burdens of taxation. 1t is not
taxes Of which they complain. These
they are willing to pay if they are nec-
essary to support their government
economically and honestly admins
tered. 1t is the robbery imposed on
them because of defective system by
which their hard earned money is taken
from their pockets to pay another
mans taxes. They say give us equality
in taxation.
"Let there be no favored classes,
who with their wealth locked in strong
boxes laugh at our entreaty for relief
from the payment of their taxes. This r
they are determined to have. Woe G
betide the man wh,, with glittering i
generalities, evasive terms or deceit :
full promises attempts to fool the peo- q
pie on the vital issue. To-day more Z
than half the wealth of this 81 ate pays r
no taxes. To-day less than half the y
wealth of this State pays it own taxes y
and the taxes of the part which escapes. I
"Well may the people of this State
be restive under such conditions. Less
causes have brought on revolution
with its bloody reign of terror. Mary
landers propose no less revolution
now, although it is to be by the peace |
full methods of the ballot.
IF highWayman meets me on one
Of your public roads and demands of
me my money or my life. and reason by
of his superior force surrender to him n
my purse, you visit upon him, If
caught the severest penaltry of the
aw. Ii under so-called system of law Il
The tax collector demands of me nv N
money to pay the ttxes of my neighbor g,
md yield to the force of the form of 81
aw which backs The demand is there G
my difference in the result? In both g
Eases wrongfully have had my prop " !"
'rty taken by one, or for the benefit of !,
'ne who has no right to it. This is pt
he cause of the peoples grievance" ia
Senator Hayes then discussed at Ii,
eDgth how reassessment and a new CT
ystem would relieve the overburdened
masses and bring an equitable distri- te
'ution of the burdens of government. ~
Then he passed TO the consideration of g
he proposition in which he asserted a.
hat the farmers and the owners of the ne
ZONES in Baltimore were the chief suf- th
erers from our present system of tax ly
tion. On this subject he said: ST
Everything the farmer has is taxed 10
his land, his horse, his cows, his va
lows, and, indeed you can't 60 on a =,
arm and find anything that is not fo
axed. There taxes paid by the farmer al
ant be shifted to the product, as is
one in other pursuits where the con- tn
umer pays the taxes. The price Of fes
he farmers wheat and corn is fixed by pm
he gold standard in the markets of
ne world. The price is not by high VI, Vi
low local taxes. Again the fact Re
nat all taxes are placed on land re- res