The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-10-16
THE NEW ASSESSMENT.
Some Press Opinions on the As
sessment Law and its Effects.
Hartford Democrat.


stocks and bonds, that pay six per cent interest
| (more than the average farm has paid during the
last five years. sassessed at one-half its value,
pays at most but forty-two and half cents on the
$780, oRe-half Of what the farm and farm stock pays
although more productive than either. And as if
this was not too much, the holders of stocks and
bonds, who controlled the Legislature had rushed
through in its closing hours another bill reducing
the rate to thirty the $780, and this bill
the subservient Lowndes signed fifteen minutes after
he had put his signature to the other bill Not satisf
ed with this small tax rate, the tax dodgers in
serted another provision the effect that if any
their stocks and bonds did not pay dividends dur
| ing the year they were not to be assessed and
should pay no taxes. During the past few years
nine tenths of the farms in Mary land paid divi
dends to the owners. Why should they pay taxes
when the non-diyidend paying stocks and bonds
were exempt? There is no reason in justice or
| equity and there would have been no distinction
in the law but for the fact that the Legislature
dominated by tax dodgers and a lobby in the pay
the corporations and trusts that control the Re-
publican party, and was favored by Republican
| Governor, whose interest it is, that stocks and
bonds should pay the smallest, if any tax rate
| whatever.
! Farmers of Maryland, and those friendly to and
associated with the farmers, should bear in mind
! publican Governor who made the last assessment
law, are again asking to be entrusted with power
! The corporations, trusts and tax dodgers having
tasted to them the sweets of Republcanism, are
again their allies, and if Republican Legislature
| is elected in November Mudd and LOwndes and
kindred spirits may be relied on to boss it, and
have such legislation enacted will further en-
rich the rich and impoverish the poor. If any but
the tax dodgers, place hunters and negroes vote
the Republican ticket this fall they will do so with
full knowledge of past expressions, and viii de-
serve the fate in store for them
Easton Ledger
Particular attention is called to the article in The
Ledger today on the new assessment, which is pub
lshed by authority of the Maryland Democratic
Editors Association.
The republican party has not undertaken to de-
fend the record it has made in this State. What it
calls fulfilled promises" has been ostentatiously
pointed to by resolutions in county and State con-
ventions, but when the record of the party has
been attacked, explicitly and in detail, not word
of explanation or defence has been forthcoming.
under the most direct and doubtless exasperating
challenges
We have shown how the election law was emas-
culated: we have pointed out the great cost of
useless new registration in the counties and the
personal inconvenience and expense people have
been put to in order not to be DISTINGUISHED;
have shown up the hypocrisy of the Republican
party in the matter of Civil Service Reform and its
false pretenses about that matter; we have exposed
the wrongdoing in practice in the State Tobacco
Warehouses; we have charged that under this Re
publican state administration no interest has been
received upon of the deposits Of State funds;
we have published the fact that the present Comp
trOller and Treasurer, as Il board of appeals have
materially reduced the assessment of many banks
and financial institutions, and no denial has even
been attempted or reason given therefor. We show
this week in the article on the assessment law
how discrimination is made in the interest of the
wealthy; that wealth is untaxed and real property
left to bear the buitlen of the public expense.
"The relief expected from new assessment has
not been realized. From the vast expenditure in
making a new assessment, approximating half
million of dollars, no benefit has been derived"
These are plain direct, explicit charges about the
new assessment.
The refutation of them is challenged.
Chestertown Transcript.
The appearance of the tax-gatherer last week was
the signal for generous OutbuTSt of righteous in
dignation on the part of vast number of tax-pay-
ers of Kent. The monstrous humbuggery of what
is known as "reassessment" became more practi-
cally impressed upon the people than ever before.
Some were outspoken in their denunciation while
others entered eternal protest against the party
responsible for this abortion of Il reassessment law.
In Rock Hall, ON Friday, the glsring inequalities
of the law was pronounced an outrage upon COM
mon sense and the common rights of the people.
In some cases the taxes of a number of honest,
Woodworking people have been nearly doubled,
and that, too in the face OF decided decreases in
the market value of the property taxed In several
cases which have come under the personal know
ledge of the writer widows and orphans who by
the strictest economy have been able to keep the
tax bill and expense account from eating up the
little home are confronted by this increased tax
and possibly the due process of the law in its col
lection, which means that this reassessment moth
is to destroy the property upon which it is levied,
The reassessment in Kent county 10 day is monu-
ment of inequality, injustice and shame to the Re
publican party. 1t is robbery in the name of the
law, and the outraged people should resent the out
rageous wrong.
Prince Georges Inquirer
We publish this week article under the au-
thority of the Maryland Democratic Editors As
ISOLATION, showing how the Republicans failed to
keep their promises in the matter of the new as
sessment. Taxpayers are finding out, when it is
too late, that under the present law wealth still
escapes its just proportion of the public expense,
and real property, particularly farming lands, is
unduly burdened.'' Many of our people have al
ready realized this to their SORROW when they
went to pay their tax bills. Only the most
experienced and successful farmers can make
their farms pay six per cent yet they are assessed
at their cash value while bonds certificates of in
debtedness evidences of debt, bearing six per
cen. interest, as provided in the main act were to
be assessed at half their value. supplemental
act passed in reference to the sliding SCALE of
assessment, which has caused considerable doubt
and uncertainty as to the meaning of the law and
consequently injustice has been the result in many
cases. One thing, however is certain and that is
that real property is still unduly burdened.
Nearly half million of dollars the new assess.
ment cost the state. What have our people gained
by this sample of the ''wse and economic admin
stration of the Republicans?
Kent News
One thing seems clear, whatever may have been
the intent of the trainers of the law wealth is still
untaxed. The real estate owner still bears the
great burden Somebody is to blame for this. Who
is it? Who will rectify the great wrong? We say
the Democracy will. The Republicans cannot for
they are bound hand and foot by contracts with the
Baltimore Sun, Evening News and other corpora
tonists for the very purpose of defeating the Demo-
cratic party and give the Republicans legislature
TO answer the purposes of the corporationists.
Read this article.
Elcott City Times.
The new assessment law which the tax -burdened /
farmers looked for did materiaize in the shape
they had hoped. Experience has shown that the |
law is an expensive tumble, enactment instead |
Of relieving the farmers, has imposed additional |
taxation in the aggregate costing the state about
half million of dollars nearly every cent of which
must come from the pockets of those least able to
pay.
Annapolis Republican.
The law utterly fails to equalze taxation and the
owners of invisible property and of the most valua
Die and best paying personal property escape taxa
ion as heretofore Indeed, the law assists them to
escape, that such property will pay less tax than
lnder the old law. Had the owners of this class of
property sat down in their private Offices with
heir attorneys, and prepared law to suit them
elves they could scarcely have drafted one which
would more efeetually have shifted the burdens of
government from their shoulders to those of the
armer and householder. In this county under the
operations of this new law the amount collected
rom taxes on stocks and bonds alone viii be about
$500 less than last year. This class of property will