The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-24
THE FUTILE DRAG NET.

The prohibition OF taxes on imports
CIR exports laid on the states by
the federal constitution compelled the
resort to direct taxation by them,
coupled with such indirect taxation as
did not fall within the prohibition.
The United States reserved exclusively
the system based on consumption,
while to the states was left one osten-
sibly based on property supreme
court, in the income tax cases, affirmed
this distinction. The problem RENTED
to the states has proved most diff
cult and veXatious one in practice.
Based on property, the natural conclu-
sion was that all property should be
made to bear its equal share. State
constitutions require this, and state
laws seek to give it effect. The con-
slant trend of legislation for over
century has been in the direction OF
more and more drastic laws to COM
quired and their violation made per-
jury with severe penalties attached.
Not only was all property to be
listed, but it's valuation is uniformly
required to be placed at its market
value on voluntary sale.
1t is curious to note these efforts
and the results. The legislatures cast
out dragnets over the community with
meshes designed to hold every item
of personal property, and the assessors
md ha
catch. In hardly any other field of
legislative effort is result more dis
proportionate to intent and effort.
Compared with what every one knows
to be the possessions of people, the
catch is ridiculously meager. The seri-
Gus effort turns into broad farce at
which one could laugh, were it not
for the conviction of the demoralizing
effect the operation has on its sub
jects, an effect that, cannot be limited
to taxation. The law of our state
specifies thirty-one distinct heads Of
personal property which 1t requires
to be listed and taxed, beginning with
''horses, mules and asses and ending,
"
all possible omissions, item twenty
seven is provided for "all other prop
erty' not enumerated in the preceding
twenty-six items. Thus the dragnet
is built to catch every possible thing
that man possesses, aside from realty.
The net extended as articles esteemed
luxuries came into use.
Sewing and knitting machines
form one item and watches and
clocks another. OF the former
SS,22S were returned in this state
in 1892, and the assessors aver
age value was $7.53, while but 132,S94
watches and clocks were found in the
entire state willing to bear a share
Of the common burden. "Melodeons
and organs were particularized as
especially taxable, but in that year the
assessors found but Is, 450 of them in
the state, while only 1922 pianos got
into the list. The dire poverty of the
state is shown in the fact that all
it's household furniture amounted to
but s34 for each family in it, Farm
implement dealers may well wonder
where all the aids to farm labor have
gone. when but $3,966,S31 worth was
found for taxation. Only 1888 663
worth of gold and silver plate and
plated ware was found in the net,
while $4,000 worth of diamonds and
jewelry responded to the call of the
state. How much of these two items,
was reported by individuals, and how
much by jewelers., is not stated but
the fact would be an illuminating one.
But Minnesota is not alone in this
proportion Of result to effort Chicago
has just finished an assessment, and
we find whole districts without a
watch or clock, South town, the ter
ritory from the river south to Thirty
ninth street, being in this tlmeless
district. Whole towns in the wealthy
residence district have no plate of
the noble metals, while the county
owns less than $1,000, and but $9.719
worth Of diamonds and jewelry. The
bankers and brokers are a poverty
stricken lot, with but $4,000, as COM
pared with nearly $1,500,000 in our
state. Could anything be more farci-
cal? Is the catch of the dragnet worth
the cloud of perjury blown over the
state with each May assessment? Can
evasion Of equal laws or plain perjury
become as universal as this without
deterioration of character and dam
ger to institutions? The matter will
bear thinking over