The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-23

interest, a pecuniary interest. in the tax
return of his neighbor. We are members
of a great partnership, and II is the right OF
each to know what every other member IS
contributing to the partnership and what
he is taking from it. 1t is not private al
fair: il is a public concern of the first inn
portance Perhaps there should be a gen.
eral proclamation Of amnesty and new
start: for many men have been entlced into
these offenses by the belief that all others
were offending.
The pulpit, the press. every agency that
deals with public. social and moral cues
tionS should lend its help. There should be
committees of public safety: for. my fell
low-citizens, / do not exaggerate when
say that the public safety is involved in
more equal administration of our tax laws.
Returns and assessments must be honest
and equal. If there are inequalities in the
law they must be remedied by legislation,
and not by the usuTpations OF the ndlVld-
ual.
/ think we must assume that there are
very few if any, of our States prepared
to consent to the abolition of the personal
property tax. AS a supplemental tax, lev
led within the requirements of equality and
uniformity, a succession or inheritance tax
may be well enough, if the State Consti-
tuition permits it; but the principle of pro-
gression. higher rate for large estates,
seems to me to be inconsistent with that
rule of proportion and equality winch
should characterize all taxation. The prac-
teal question, the one our people must
solve, and solve speedily, is the enforce
ment of the personal property tax ana the
equalization of real estate assessments.
If other remedy can De 1Ounu, per-
haps the State might declare and maintain
an estoppel against the claim of any man
or his heirs 10 property. the ownership OIL
which he had sdisclaimed in his tax returns.
If q succession tax law is used to recoup
the taxes unpaid during life 1t should be
so framed as to reach the guilty ana save
the innocent Perhaps a higher rate could
be levied upon property as to which PAID
tax bills ala not produced what mas al
ready been accomplished in Chicago gives
a gratifying assurance that public SEN
me created that
great city communities from the scandals
and frauds which have characterized the
administration of the tax laws.
1t is not within the purpose OF tins ad-
dress to propose in detail the needed re-
forms, but rather to emphasize the need,
and to suggest that our men of wealth
should themselves come forward and take
the lead in these reforms; that they should
not only show a Willingness but zeal TO
bear their full prOportionate share or all
public burdens. If they do not the sense
of injury is strong that ways will be found,
! fear, to exact more than is equal 10 90
Justice is the best safeguard against lnJus-
tice.
-Four hundred persons attended the an
nual banquet in commemoration of Wash
ington at the Union League this evening.
Six toasts were responded to, as follows;
1.-THE Orator of the Day." President A. IL.
ReveI: response by former President Ben
jamin Harrison; 1.-THE Soldier and the Stu
dent" DR.. John H. Finley; Patriotism in
the Partisan Press Charles Emory Smith,
of the Philadelphia Press; 1.-THE Ideal Citi-
zen" Rev. S. J. Mcpherson; Personal
Recollections of Lincoln" former Governor
Richard j. Oglesby, of Illinois. The speak
ers confined themselves to patriotic senti-
ments, inspired by the life and deeds of
Washington.
General Harrison referred briefly to the
Cuban question, saying: I'VE stand now in
the awful shadow of one of the most tragic
events that has ever happened in our his
tory, and yet we stand with the pose, with
the self-possesson of a people who under
stand their might and can abide the devel-
opments of time. We are not hysterical
people. We can wait, and we will know
our duty when it shall be revealed. We
can understand that in a time like this
there are grave responsibilities devolving
upon the President of the United States,
single responsibilities that he may not d.
vide with any man. Let stand about
him. strengthening him in the calm assur-
ance that this great country desires only
what is right and can wait until the facts
are known before it issues its proclama-
ton