The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-18

of taxation. But the provision which makes
the commissioners court the board OF equal
ization makes 1t impossible. almost for the
burdens of taxation to fall on all prooperty IN
the State equally and uniformly. And hero
we find one OF the injustices In our present
laws relating to taxation. The commission
ers court is the court of last resort in vaun-
tions and equalization. They can raise or
lower property at their will. They should
have the power to do so in valuing property
for county taxes. but some other authority
ought TO be vested with that power In the
matter of valuations for State purposes. If we
are going to make an effort TO deal Justly and
impose equal burdens upon property in the
States irrespective of county lines.
Our statutes provide. for instance. that cash
each year shall be taxed 1t will not be dis
puted that money Is worth 100 cents In dollar
In this country, and the law Cart. 5OoS, para
graph s, Revised Statutes) says that money
whether in possession or on deposit. or In the
hands of any member OF the tamly or any
other person whatsoever, shall be entered ~
statement at the full amount theSeoi. -
most counties this Is the way tb money.
What little is rendered. is assessed. But In one
county in which happened TO be at inc time
the beard OF rendition was In session. the as
SCISSOR OF the county had accepted money AZ a
rendition of so cents on the collar me
appro, al of this rendition WAS an issue DeiqIe
The board and the commissioners were eanaiy
divided but the rendition was ACCEPTED ny
the county Judge casting the oeciding NoIe
This illustration makes clear tins point
make and shows that other persons IN otner
counties. rendering money as required by the
statute above cited. is paying twice as much
tax as is paid the money in the county
alluded to- Can a system that permits suvh
+ inequality In valuation Justly BE- said TO be
''eailal and uniform? 1t is an outrage ana
an injustice often committed under the form
and sanction of our present law.
This same inequality Of valuation OF the
same class OF property situated Ia various
counties will apply 10 most all other forms OF
property subject to taxation. notable IN
Stance is the different values placed upon tho
shares or stock OF banking cororations. In
most of the counties il is accepted at from
/ 80 to 65 cents on the dollar. the latter figure
heina about the average But in some other
counties bank stock is taxed at more tnan
100 cents on the dollar. Article $3.50 OF the
Revised Statutes provides taat tae S name Of
each individual holder OF shares. the real es,
tate held by said corporation being assessed
in the name of the corporation. | think a
nhanrc Of this article so as to require the
eapital stock OF banks and all other corpo-
rations TO be rendered in bulk. by the cor
ton before declaring any dividends, would be
| n wise and beneficial one. Then the par Value
of the stock would be taxed and none OIL II
t WouaS provides that no dividends shall he
paid until the tax on tho stock is paid j..
The dividends OF banks are usually pald IN
July and on January J. me reo9Iai S.s'u ana
/ Az dividend periods. and dividends are USUALLY
paid by draft on the banking assocluuoh o,
on It's New YORK correspondent, p Sou 9,a Il
,n1 'S bank officials know that the State law
makes the taxes due q lien upon the shaIes
OF bank for the taxes , aga ssst u NTH tbs
| tay on the shares are paid, III Is holppeu u
| the tax collectors are informed ~ TINS pa pa,
ticular. How then is the pank 70 nnow nn
| January i? All taxes for the previous yoai
ere due January 1, but tho law gives thirty
days from that time beiorg apy r not nsder
| taten until sixty DAYS latsr. and often, III
many counties. not at all ihere'9 Or sS sra
great many shares OF the BANKS ~ a.v motte,
~, ne' S.,eo. he nayment OF taxes or them uEdsl
| the present method of assessing tnem anu ~
| is very frequently done
| SUGGESTED LAWS AND AMbNDME"i =
Tile court of criminal appeals 10 passii, Js %
| cases appealed to II, nave oeclhI1u ssoa n,
sections OF the occupation 'a ~ he upoonstitu
| t,onnl because OF exempting proVstuhhS ~
| them which made them 10 eonnlct n,,a IN,
constitutional guarantee re ggnifopra unon th
| SAM class of subjects" Subdivision -; .as =
ing reddlers was declared uneohststui :
| II has been the policy all along Of the sta9
nsr,'na,ion tax law TO impose tax upon peaa
dlers think this PROVISION snouia pe las
ed so as to class peddlers as M tsr
merchants and require them 10 Pay Tue "a ua1 !, =
| eleventh-class merchants. supnlyison ~ ,,..
also been declared unconsutuuohar,,. pt 10 eS
81 the EFFORT maze IN the last clause W %
empt merchants paving merchant s. oSc ubo,
| flor tax from the special tax imposea up " /,
nersons peddIing clocks, busgies. washing nis 7
Chimes. ehurns etc. The tax upon sha ~ o' n
OF peddiers was, presume. in,e oheito ~ II
o. laass had that eject until declared void b
the court. subdivision 49, which ham imp 6sid
tax on lightning rod agents; mas oseh a agent
peI'rssanting manufacturers located outside
Texas upon the theory that the sts'e fa sue
peena,s can not be reached by such pro'is
ion. subdivision s5 ought TO be repealed, ~ =
would be- an unfair discrimination agains