The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-03-24
A PAMPHLET SUPPRESSED
Secretary Wilson Stops One of
MOrtOn'S Circulars.
INVESTIGATION OF TAXATION
A PereinptOry Order Yeste erday Sus-
pended the Issue of 100000 Cop
tes-The Views of Experts Set
Forth-Members of Congress May
Demand an Explanation.

Secretary Wilson, of the Department of
Agriculture, has ordered the suppression
OF circular No. 8, Division Of Statistics
Department of Agriculture. entitled Local
taxation as affecting FARMS
The pamphlet was prepared with great
care under the direct supervision OF Statis-
tician Henry A Robinson, 1t was issued
during the closing days of Secretary Nor
tons administration, and with his sanction.
One hundred thousand copies were ordered
printed, and preparations for their dis
tributiOn were in progress, when yesterday 4.
Secretary Wilson issued a peremptoTy order
To Stattstician Robinson to suspend their
issue and turn over the account for ali
copies i'll his posse ssion, including those
already wrapped for mailing.
The reasons for Secretary Wilson's ac-
tioGs are obscure. They may never be
fully set forth, though some ex xplanation
may be offered. Already several mem
bers of Congress have called upon him for
an ex planation, and have protested against
his summary course. 1t would be Some
what difficult to satisfy any farmer that
the suppression was in his interest, if he
had All opportunity OF examining the doc
UInent.
The suppressed pamphlet will be of great
interest TO all who have investigated the
subject OF taxation. Experts were in
strUcted to visit ,116 farms located in
Cattaraugus, Chautauqua. Putnam and
Westchester counties, New York, and de-
termine separately the value OF the bare
real estate unimproved- technically, the
prairie value and the value Of the improve
ments and Of the personal property owned
therein. The result showed that the un-
improved value was but 39.2 per cent,
against 90. per cent for the improvements
and personality. comparison with the re-
liable statistics OF valUa ton in the city Of
Boston showed bare realty values in that
city of So. l per cent, against Al o per cent
for Improvements and personally.
These statistics were developed In detail
and the results tabulated. The conclusions
drawn in the circular are directly statisti-
cal, but the conclusion which the farmer
reader will draw is inevitable, IL is stated,
that the removal OF taxation from inn
provements and personal property would
relieve him of vast burden of taxation,
and place it upon the shoulders Of the
holders of immense wealth which is
concentrated in the ground values Of cities
The contrary view that personal property
in the cities is largely in excess OF ground
values, is so generally held that the farm
ers themselves have generally been the
most tenacious Of the theory OF taxing per-
sonaity and improvements.
StatistiClan Robinson is a free silver
Democrat, and though he differed radically
on the money question from Secretary Nor
ton, the latter appreciated his strong quail
tiles and integrity, and retained him in
office. AS statistician. Mr.. Robinson has
control of crop statistics, which In the
hands of shrewd and unscrUpuIous ma
nipuIator, could be used to seriously affect
market values Of staples. Numerous Re
puhlicans are after his place, although it
is under civil service rules.