The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-31
SEATTLE. MONDAY. JAN. 81.
TINkERlNG WITH TAXATION.

Whatever relief is to be obtained By
the people ia the way OF amendment to
the system Of taxation viii come
through the efforts OF the Republican
party. 1t is showing its activity in sew
eral states where the Republicans are
In power. and although IL may take
some time before a uniform and equita-
bic method Is arrived at. every step
taken towards amendment brings that
contamination nearer.
We have already referred to the cx-
periments being tried IN New York and
in Massachusetts,. and to the recon-
Illinois, In his message to the legisla-
ture, when convened in special session.
The New Jersey legislature has under
consideration suggestions made by the
recent governor, Hon. j. w. Griggs.
who is now attorney general In that
state the board or taxation reports
that the total amount OF property ex-
empted from taxation for the year 1897
is SIS. g.. $50. This includes school prop
erty. public property. property used for
church and charitable purposes. and
property used for cemeteries. II also
includes the sum OF sloisi. $50 for ex-
emptions 20 veterans and the wild
ows OF veterans OF the civil war. to fire.
men and to members Of the National
G6ard.
These are very innocent exemptions
and are not dssimilar 10 the exemptions
In most states The evils, however. do
not lie in exemptions of this kind. but
in the unlawful exemptions which arise
from the incorrect returns of property
owners and the unequal assessments
made by assessors The governor says
that in his judgment the fault Is not so
much in the theory and number of tax
laws as In their inadequate enforce
ment by the local assessors, and that
in this they are upheld by public senti
men, in the several communities. That
Is the case: IL veterans and widows OF
veterans and nremen and members OF
the National Guard were the only peo-
pie to escape fair proportion OF taxa
ton there would be very little to COM
plain Of
The Illinois legislature IL wrestling
with the problem and bin has been
introduced whose object is 10 embody
many suggestions from different quar-
tiers. One Of it's features will be 10 as
sess all foreign corporations doing bust
ness in the state upon thu amount OF
their taxable stock. as well as all manu-
featuring and mining companies organ
lied under the state laws III advocacy
OF the bill one of the members said that
II the provision We're adopted II would
bring in ss2 corporations which are not
now under the law assessable There
are only 5l5 corporations now assessed
upon their taxable stock. The revenue
obtained from this source is something
like ss54.oo IL the law Is so amended
that the board may reach the sSe cor
porations which now escape taxation.
this income. he claims. will be doubled.
Any law which brings under taxation
the property Of a corporation the same
as II IL were owned by an individual Is
geod enc. but Il does not seem fair 20
tax the eGtire stock 81 corporation
which is doing business by agency in
the state. other laws would have u he
changed before this could be done
eauitahly. For instance, in the state %
Washington the ,aw allows mining com
panles 10 do business upou 4 nominal
CAPITAL many times created than It's
actual possessions. 1t may rot be wise
10 allow "A company Ia Incorporate with
capltal ~ million dollars ana sell
its stock for cents on The dollar. but
since II is permitted it would he tanta-
mount t. eonfisc&tion 90 tax 1t on the
face value III the same proportion as the
face value Of other rrope,ty. II woula
- almost impractleahle q tax xach
corporations at the actual 1a.ue ~ their
storS
Thc advocates - the Illinois law com
slain that the Wagner car Company
does business ia that state. bat escapes
lust taxation. The Pullman garsrHss,e