Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-11-02
Entered at the Post Office at Laporte, as
second-class mail matter.
TAXES EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.

TAXES EVERYTHING IN SIGHT
The Democratic party while in power
had taxed almost every conceivable
kind of property for state purposes 1t
may be we'll to call your attention to
the fact that on the 18th day of April,
1894 an act was passed imposing d
state tax ON all real estate and on
horses and cattle over years of age.
Also on all offices of profit, profess
sions, trades and occupations. On the
29th day of April. 1874, another act
was passed extending the state tax to
'all mortgages, moneys and interest,
owing by solvent debtors" All these
taxes went into the state treasury.
None were left to aid in bearing local
personal property a state tax of three
mills on the dollar was levied. In
those days of peace and general pros
perity the real estate in town and
country was subjected to state tax, to
help pay the ordinary burdens of the
state government.
According to a careful estimate the
value of the taxable real estate in the
townships, cities and boroughs of the
commonwealth is $2,103, 784,203. A
three mill tax in pursuance of the act
of 1884, on that sum, would amount
TO more than six millions of dollars an
nually. During the last 33 years, that
is, since 1866, this one item of Repub-
iican legislation has saved to the Penn
sylvania farmer and other real estate
owners more than one hundred and
fifty millions of dollars. If there be
any who think that the Republicans of
Pennsylvania have not measured up
to their idea of relieving our real estate
from its local burdens, hope that he
will bear in mind that as soon as peace
came every acre of land in the whole
commonwealth, all of her more than
ten thousand hillsides and valleys
were released from the payment of a
single dollar towards the payment of
the state debt or defraying the current
expenses of the government.
WHAT REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE.
The state revenues from all sources
are about $12,000,000 annually. So that
il our real estate was now taxed as it
was in 1860 the taxes raised from it
for state purposes would equal one
half of the states entire income.
On the I'd day of June, 1871, a Re-
publican legislature passed an act re-
pealing the act of 1884. which had i'm
posed tax Of 1 per cent for state pur-
poses on professions, trades and oc-
equations, over 100000. The act of
1871 has saved to the taxpayers many
millions of dollars. and to that extent
has assisted in bearing their local bur-
dens. Again. by an act approved March
23. 1873, the act of assembly imposing
taxes for state purposes on horses and
10 1NI
ocratic orators will remember that
since these years all town and country
real estate, all trades, occupations and
professions and all horses and cattle
have been relieved from the payment
of taxes to the state.
The public records will show that
the state officials have faithfully ap-
piled the states revenues not necessary
to meet current expenses to the pay
ment of the state debt. which on the
first day of December, 1896. amounted
only to the sum of $6,S15, ,30547.
This is a large reduction since 1860.
This fact alone is sufficient to COM
mend the Republican party to the
voters of the state. Notwithstanding
that so many local burdens have been
removed from the shoulders of the
people. amounting during the last 30
years to more than $175,000,000, we
have reduced the state debt that we
inherited in 1860 of forty millions to
less than seven millions.
The Republican party believes in and
has done much in the cause of educa-
tion. 1t holds that It is better to build
school houses than jails and peniten-
tiaries. 1t has ever used all honor
able means to strengthen the cause of
common school education. 1t follows
as matter of course that as the state
appropriations have been increased for
common school purposes the local
taxes for that purpose have been cor
respondingly lessened During the
three years Immediately preceding the
election of Governor Curtin; in 1860,
the legislature appropriated for COM
mon schools as follows:
MILLIONS FOR THE SCHOOLS.
In 1858, in 1859 and in 1860 the sum
of $2S0,000 annually. l ask our Demo-
cratic opponents to look at the COM
mon school appropriations made by
Republican Legislatures. There was
appropriated in 1885 and 1886 each year
$1,000,000; in 1887 and 1888. each year,
$1,500,000; in 1889 and 1890, each
year, $2,0O0,000; in 1891 and 1892, each
year, $5,000,000; in 1893 and 1894,
each year, s5,50O,OOO; in 1895 and
1896, each year, $5,50O,OOO; in 1899 and
1900, each year, $5000,00O
These figures speak for themselves.
They show an increase of nearly five
millions year, and to this extent has
real estate been assisted in bearing its
local burdens.
Prior to 1883 the INDECENT insane in
10 lI1In Of ho fnf IN xIrho Ii,