Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-08-29
Just TAXES FoR FARMERS.

y hat the Republicans Contend for ii
Their state Platform.
: The splendid platform adopted by the
Republican state convention at Parkers-
burg has worried the Democrats a great
deal. They finally, in desperation. seized
upon the taxation plank and tried by
specious argument and assertion t0 make
1t appear that il is Il he.ae to favor
railroads or somebody else than the
farmers.
Chairman Dawson OF the Republican
state committee, in reply to letter
from correspondent on this subject,
takes mp the matter and discusses it in
the following peaceful and intelligent
manner.
In regard to the tax plank of the
State platform, il is follows:
"'We are III favor of perfect equality
before the law IN the matter of taxation
We declare tho present system of Fore
ing agricultural classes TO pay taxes on
their debts to be manifestly unfair and
unjust We demand that our present
assessment law be SO changed ais to al
low farmers the same privilege which
are accorded to other citizens OF our
States.
lyon will sec that this has nothing to
do with the assessment of railroad prop.
erty, but simply favors placing the
farmer in the same position before the
law as the banker or merchant. In the
assessment Of your property for taxa
ton you can deduct what You owe from
the value Of your personal property.
The property of the banker aud mer.
chant Is largely personal He therefore
does not have to pay taxes on his debts.
The farmers property is largely Of real
estate. You can not deduct debts from
the value Of yonr real estate. Hence,
the present law is unjust TO the farmer
If he has mortgage on his farm he
must pay taxes averaging ~ per cent
ON his farm aud per colirS interest a.
his debts. total of about s per cen
At the same time the owner Of the
mortgage pays taxes on it. This is
double taxation. Some defend this; bnt
from a thorough study Of the subject
when was GU the joint sub-finance
committee of the legislature several
years ago, which was charged with the
revision Of our assessment laws, be-
came convinced that, as Greeley aud
Theirs lay it down i'll the works on 20
htical economy, every man ought to pay
taxes to the support of the government
III proportion to hi; ability to pay, which
ability is to be measured by what he ac-
tually owns and not by what he has til
his possession. If your property Is nn-
der mortgage or deed Of trust yon own
only what is let after these liens ara
discharged.
THE State ought to encourage the
owning of homes, but this double taxa
, ton does not A young married man
buys home or farm; no pays small
part down, and for the balance gives a
mortgage, or the seller retains VEN
doris lien. As the law is now he pays
taxes Oh the land interest on the deIt
and for which it is subject. which, as
have said, makes 4 total Of about s per
cent. Now, when he pays off this debt
he knocks out of existence that much
taxable property. This is absurd, and
makes it to the interest of the state to
have every citizen mortgage his real es-
tate; and the more Of such debts the
more taxable property. Railroads are
assessed by the Board Of Public Works
ON basis peculiar to railroads. Ne
favor the taxing Of railroads and AL
other property equally--no favors To
any. justice and equality to ALL This Ii
time when attempt is being made to
influence the public mind against rad
roads and banks and other ineorpora-
tons. This is wrong and dangerous
The true principle aud for which we
contend is that all property whether
corporate or individually should be taxed
equally and uniformly. The Republican
, party stands for justice and equality
before the law, and there never was q
time when the doctrine should be mora
vigorously preached thannow.
very truly yours, tsignedJ,
"WM NJ. O. DAWSON. Chairman