The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-02
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Hon. N. G. SpaldinG on Taxation,
National and State

National and State.
AT the opening of the session of the
congress yesterday afternoon, Presi-
! dent Clayton announced as the first
! speaker Hon. N. G. Spalding, of
New York, on the subject of Taxa
ton, National and State Mr..
Shading spoke in part as follows:
Taxation is properly divided into three gen
eral classes: National, state and local Our
general government has wisely made provi-
sion in the constitution for its own protec-
ton; it has provided that a tax be levied
| demand. Both the great political parties are
in accord on this point. Hence a tariff for
! revenue has always been and always must
! be a political axiom The only difference
this question does not rest upon the tariff
per Sc, but upon the degree of protection re-
CURED and upon the class of industries that
should receive this protection.
! The Mckinley tariff was not defective in
! degree, for by 1t sufficient revenue was raised
| to meet this demand, but its defects lay in
! the Partially shown to certain industries
while the Wilson tariff defective in both.
! The revenue produced was inadequate and it
must be admitted that the same favoritism
was shown to certain industrial classes.
The present tariff has not been in operation
| long enough to determine Its character but it
is earnestly hoped that the Dingley tariff will
| not only secure sufficient revenue to meet
i the expenses of government, but will also an
! tagonize the formation hereafter of any privi-
! legged class. One, OF the greatest evils which
! confronts cur tariff system, is partisansh!p
! The time has come when the collection of our
national revenues should be elm mated from
/ politics The people are becoming weary with
Republican, a Democratic or Populist:c
/ tariff, they demanded that party jingoism shall
! cease; that the revenues of the government
| shall be fixed upon permanent lines by non
| partisan commission unaffected by the
changes of administration. Nothing can be
more detrimental to trade and commerce than
GXnprtp0 rpV0lnt;OO OTTO aI-ar1
| four years for party ACKNOWLEDGMENT and if
| this Farmers National congress could secure
by its united effort the appointment by gov
| eminent of non-partiSan commission to reg
ulate the revenue and thereby exercise the
tariff from party, it would achieve grand
result, well worthy of our being called to-
| gether.
1t was fortunate provision made by the
| trainers of the constitution, that the expenses
| of government should be betrayed by a tax
! on imports, thus avoiding the burden of a
! direct tax upon the people By this wise pro-
| vision, only an indirect tax will ever fall
/ upon the people for the support of the federal
| government. Let this tax be levied in tariff
| fixed by non-partisan hoard, with a reve-
| general government, and an era of permanent
| prosperity will be inaugurated unaffected by
| changes of administration or the intrigues of
| selfish men.
| But with cur state governments the case is
widely different; no provision can be made for
revenue from imports; hence our state and
| local expenses must be met by direct tax
| alton How to levy this tax that al classes
shall pay an equal share is the problem of
the hour. Some states have adopted the
Listing system, by which every man is re-
| quired to give sworn statement of what he
! is worth. On this temized statement he is
assessed, but the practical results of this
law are not satisfactory. Property not visi-
Bile often escapes taxation. For this reason
the farmer is the greatest sufferer; nearly all
his property whether tools, stock or lands,
are visible to the assessor. He therefore,
never escapes a full assessment, both on real
and personal. while often the vast wealth of
others hidden away in stocks and bonds or
safe deposits, escapes the provisions of the
law.
Another theory proposed, as a remedy for
this evil is the single tax" by which only
land values are assessed. But the inequality
of this is apparent.
nation of home builders is prosperous