The herald., 1896-12-29
TO solve THE PROBLEM
Taxes Upon Industry Should Be
Abolished
HARDSHIPS OF TAXATION
A Tax Reform Meeting ia the Bradbury
Block Last Evening
Eloquent Addresses Delivered-Tha
Methods of the Various Tax
Reform Organizations.

A meeting was held in the Southern
California Music hall last night to dis
cuss the tax reform movement. Owing
to the unfavorable condition of the
weather the meeting was not very large
ly attended.
Several well known tax reformers
were present and delivered addresses.
On taking the chair Ralph r. Hoyt
briefly stated the situation as to the
movement for tax reform amendment
to the constitution, and outlined the
methods of the various organizations
and individuals actively engaged in It.
Among other remarks the chairman
said:
This is a non-partisan movement
toward a better system of taxation and
revenue in the great state of California.
Those who are familiar with our pres
ent system must admit that almost any
change would be for the better. Under
existing laws and methods industry is
hampered laudable effort discouraged
and wealth production treated as q
crime. The man who erects a building,
tilas the soil, establishes a home, runs
manufactory, conducts a mercantile
establishment or in any other way en-
hances the aggregate wealth, prosperity
and happiness of the community is
forced to pay, once a year or oftener, a
penalty for the crime of being useful.
On the other hand, the man who
holds out of use, or but partially uses,
portion of the earth, is by our laws en-
couraged in so doing and permitted to
privately appropriate a natural agent
of production which human exertion can
neither produce nor increase. This he
may do to the extent of accommodating an
immense fortune, drawn from the Joint
earnings of the community and with
scarcely any effort of his own This is
unjust, and, therefore, unwise and in
expedient.
Thousands of Californians see the in
justice and folly of such a system, and
they are now uniting their efforts to
bring about change. But the first
step toward the desired reform must
be by amending the constitution At
present our legislators are shut off by
a section of the organic law from maxi
ing any changes in the tax laws of the
state. Hence the necessity of inducing
the incoming legislature to submit to
the people an amendment which will, if
endorsed at the next election, empower
future legislatures to repeal, alter or
amend our tax laws so that they will at
least in some degree harmonize with
sound public policy and correct econom-
ic principles.
"A few months ago the movement for
a tax reform amendment was started
In San Francisco and since the Novem-
ber election it has grown with marvellous
rapidity. A petition to the legislature
tcopies of which are here tonight) has
been circulated extensively and signed
by nearly fifteen thousand citizens
Every day large numbers of additional
signatures are received at tax reform
headquarters. 405 Montgomery street.
Nearly every installment of names is ac-
companied by request for literature
on the subject Of taxation, and each de-
mand is promptly supplied by Judge
James J. Reynolds, who is an active
leader in the movement and was a
member of the convention that framed
the constitution of 1879. Other men ac-
tive in the movement, irrespective of
party lines, are Hon. Joseph Leggett
Hon. w. H. Afford, Hon. Henry C. Dib-
BILE, Republican assemblyman from San
Francisco; Senator-elect s. F. Stratton,
a leading Republican of Alameda coun-
ty, and Hon. James G. Mcguire, who
though now at his post of duty in con-
greSs, writes me expressing intense sat-
isfaction over the interest and enthu-
siasm manifested by the people in this
movement for the amendment.
"Tte question here is will the people of
Southern California join hands with our
northern neighbors in this laudable un-
dertaking? If so, the object desired will
surely be accomplished. Nearly all of
the members-elect from San Francisco
and Alameda are known to favor the
amendment proposition. as are also
many members elected in other coun
ties. including our own Los Angeles.
This is plain. common sense. busi-
ness proposition. 1t Is something that
concerns every citizen of the state. The
success of the movement will prove of
incalculable benefit to all the legitimate
interests of California and open up an
era of genuine prosperity such as has
never yet been witnessed in this tax
ridden commonwealth. If the people
convince the incoming legislature that
such an amendment is very generally
desired, it is hardly probable that our
lawmakers at Sacramento will fail to
comply with such reasonable demand
from their constituents. We Americans
often boast of our free country and
claim that this is par excellence the
land of the free But if we We're meas
ured by our needless and unjust taxes
improvement taxes, personal prop
erty taxes. occupation taxes. poll taxes.
export taxes on dead bodies and other
lesalized methods of curtailing natural
rights--it would appear as if freedom
were the one thing of which we are
most afraid.
Let us in California proceed at once
to open the way for the enjoyment of
complete freedom for every individual,
with no restrictions other than the law
of equal freedom for ALL
Abbott Kinney. who has done great
deal in the interest of tax reform, spoke
briefly. He said: l think it is clearly
mistake to lay a tax upon industry
Under the present system Of taxation
one is compelled to pay for improve
ments made upon lands. Mr. Kinney
stated that when he came to this coun-
try he bought piece of brush land an
improved it, His neighbor left his prop
erty unimproved, and when the tax col
lector came around Mr.. Kinney WAS
compelled to pay taxes on valuation
of $40 per acre, while the owner of the
property which had been left in an un-
improved condition paid on valuation
of $3.50 per acre. Injustice Is the mos.
prominent feature of taxation in this
country, and the wealthy people know it.
1t Is the wealthy who escape without
paying their share of the expense to run
the government. The American ship
ping industry has been taxed off the
seas. Ships are found in American har-
bors, owned by American companies
and carrying a foreign flag. This is be-
cause our shipping industries are taxed
while the shipping industries of other
countries are exempt from this ruinous
abomination which is monument Of
stupidity to the American people. Let
us make an effort to remedy this condi-
tion so that We may again see our own
flag floating over our own ships.
DR.. James Ikingsbury of Australia told
of the effects produced by the success of
the tax reform movement In the prov
inca Of New South Wales While fh a