Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-03-08
COMMUNICATED.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF VALUA-
TION BILL.

THE COMMISSIONERS OF VALUA-
TION BILL.
S, far as the commissioners of valua-
ton bill is concerned, l approve of IL
most heartily. II is directly In the
line of the just policy Of compelling the
personally tax dodser to take upon bis
shoulders his proper proportion of the
burden of taxation. II be could be
made to do 60 the rate of tax on houses
aud lands could be reduced more than
so per cent. Real estate carries vastly
more than it's fair share of the burden,
becauss it lies out 10 the full glare Of
the sun, visible to the naked eye OF the
assessor and the collector, and cannot
be hidden; ut 10 c0mes, stocks, bonds
and the bulk of personal property lie
concealed tetween the leaves of calf
bound ledgers or 10 coat pockets and
afe-deposit vaults where the vision OF
the tax.gatherer never penetrates.
How many people 10 the city OF Alex
andria today make even q pretence Of
reporting any taxable iucome what.
ever? Let the books of the commission.
er of the revenue answer, or will if l
feel called npon to do it. The answer
would dumfound the town because OF
the ridiculously small number who have
owned up
The bill is a righteous one, it is ne
ce sary one, ard i. is democratic one.
w ali remember (or have We + r!ot'
ter p the howl that pierced the skies
from democratic throats when the
partisan u. 6. Supreme Court q few
8 Iort yesrs ago nulli6ed the income
tax law, and We also remember Or
bave we forgottenO how that great
party when it met in convention 10
C icago on July 7th, 1896, adopted the
toliowir z as q portion of its platform OF
uriociples
"Untll the money question is settled
we are opposed to any agitation for fur
ther changes in our tariff laws, except
such as are necessary to make up the
de felt in revenue caused by the adverse
decision Of the Supreme Court on the
ipcome tax. But for this decision OF
the Supreme Court tt ere would be no
d, felt in the revenue under the laws
passed by q democratic Congress 10
strict pursuance of the uniform decis-
ION of that court for one hundred years,
that court having sustained coustitu
ional objections to its enactment. which
have been overruled by the ablest Judges
who ever sat on that bench. We declare
that it is the duty OF Congress to use all
the constitutional power which remains
after that decision, or which may come
from it's reversal by the court as 1t may
hereafter be constituted, 90 that the
burdens of taxation may be equally and
impartially laid. to the end that wealth
NAV bear its due proportion OF the ex-
psnses of the government"
I,it possible that our then advocacy
of an income tax was based on no hoiier
or loftier thought then that the chief
sufferers under what we are now pleas
ed to term it's iniquitous propositions,
would be the rich republicans OF the
north. and that our present opposition
TO it is because IL catches our prosper
ous Virginia democrats? Perish the ig-
noble thought. II the principle OF taxa.
ton of secret incomes 10 the United
States was right in A D. 1896. when We
all voted for it, it is rightin Virginia 10
A. D. 1900, and no one can gsinssy that
statement. The question % to whose
OK 1, eored does not vary the principle.
But. it is said, the application OF the
law is ipquisitorial and 1t is forcio!e IN
i,s operations and it creates horde OF
officeholdere. Granted; but why is 1t
that the application OF Q little OF the
rack thumbs screw method OF get
ting at your taxable incomes ana per
sonslty and the employment OF this
bo ride of officeholders Is necessary and
unavoidable? Simply because OF the
criminal and unpatri0tic and unfsir-to-
YOUR neighbor conceslnent OF eDd re-
iusal to report the property which you
Dossess, and which is just as properly
taxable as Is your neighbor's modest
little dwelling which, unfortunately ior
him. has the quality Of being visible.
Try for o novelty the plan OF making
a fair report of your income and stocks
and bonds, &C.; be honest from Princl-
uls and not from compulsion,. and this
horde OF irquisitoriai officeholders Will
psss away as fits the shade across the
summer field. They would be as uL-
necessary as a policeman 10 heaven.
OF course this measure is unpopular
in certain quarters. Any measure de.
signed to secure equality. equity and
Uniformity in the obligation to pay taxes
and to bring to book those who have
enjoyed immunity 10 ths past must
be 80.
It's kindred measure, the so-called
Gland erabber" law Qn the prepare
,ion OF which am proud to edmit AS.
sisted ss one of q sub-committee), met
With a storm Of opposition from those
who for years bad considered not tnei.
tax bills because they knew that 'ne
then existing laws we're insufficient &c
compel them to pay; yet tbsl Jaw, os'
snite all assaults, stands todsy Iecoe
nizsd as . ju t and reasonable one 10 u;
geueral principles, and 1t has increesst
the revenue of Vireiois. without aaoI
tiopsl taxation, thousands Of do!isrs sHn % =
nually since its enact ment-'$loo,VV VI
the fiscsl year 1S9S-99 alone. ~,
So also the measure based on the hH'
;des passed in 1896, appointing exam
90, nf rscords to ascertain the amour