Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-01-24

Express companies ...... IL Sgg %
Railroad passenger tax (ayer-
age per mile SjiSl........ 47.OOi =
Telegraph companies ....... 1896 g.
Commercial agencies ...... $50 O1
Stage coaches .............. % 20
One hundred and eleven thousand.
three hundred and two dollars and six
y-siN cents was paid for a similar pur
pose through the state department a.
follows.
Franchise taxes .............S Sl,73G -
Fees for filing charters ..... 2t.542 so
Court reports and books. G.S6i q,
Certified copies OF records 90. So 90
Commissions 10 officers. less
postage .............. .... 3ii n
From the occupation tax upon liquor
and heer dealers the revenue derived
was tei6.l50 from that on merchan
1852 0S325. and from that on all 9th
ers slt3 i67 49, From the railways was
procured the sum total of i3lG.92Gsf. or
t3i9I for every mile ~ main track u
cannot bat be observed that Of the rev.
enue accruing 10 the treasury through
the sources named and agFrogating 50 o.
059 3tG &c. that paid hy real estate alone
amounted % s2.20S .OG0 81. or 90 more
than 0nC-hall and that paid hy rlNI
estate and dealers In liquors and bee
combined 20 S2.N5f2lOGt. or 90 nearly
three f0urths Of the entire amount. TIE
gravity ~ the question becomes the
more serious when 20 is considered that
for the support of the county and mum.
cipll governments the burden on lanI
r. made much woightoer than for state
surposos-the average tax rate thereon
state and county. being ulnety-seyo1
cents on the one hundred dollars. 20
cities and towns the average rate fr
municipal purposes Is oighty-nye ceatt
making the total average on city ami
town lots fiS2 on the hundred dollars
or nearly two per cent Of their value
Let him who can Success fully defend
the present system of taxation.
Prior 10 the late civil war. the public
revenue was principally derived from
a general property OF ad yalorem tax.
supplemented by a very moderate tax
on occupations The system was there
foro simple Corporations were then
but Few IN number. and were almost eX.
clusively Of a sSmi-public character Our
people were generally employed in agrl-
culture. and the administration ~ gov
eminent was inexpensive.
our present Constitution prepared the
way FOR the easy charter OF corpora
tions. and the legislature has respond
ed by allowing them FOR almost every
conceivable purpose There were on
January . 1900 doing business 90 this
state not including railway companies.
banks and associations OF q purely edu-
cational religious and benevolent char
acter. 2.09j organizations chartered I'M
der our own laws. and with an author
lied capital stock amounting 20 $751;
$40 34O-being 500 more than were ON
January J.. 1895 Their number IS con-
stantly increasing.
In addition. there were also then 3s7
foreign corporations. Of similar charac-
ter. permitted 10 do and now doing
business In this state. with AN author.
lied capital stock Of tG2s.523 .O275O.
The adyalorem tax rate Tor state pur-
poses Ia lSGO-the year next before
the commencement OF the civil war
was twelve and one-half cents on the
one hundred dollars upon an assess
ment Of S29i.3l5.Gj9 The present o.
valorem rate Is thiry-eight cents ON
the one hundred dollars on an assess
ment In 1895, Of SS5iGl93G5. The
amount of revenue from occupation
taxes, in 1860 Is not ascertainable
The population In 1860 excluding
slaves. was i20hsl II Is estimated n
be- 90 present more than three millions.
One OF the accepted max.ms in political
economies is that as the wealth ana
population of state Increases the rate
OF taxation and public expenditure po-
capita shuull cOrrgspOndingly dccro1s.
This rule however. cannot and will not
obtain whore every character 0f prop
erty is not required 90 bear lts Dust
share ~ the public burdens and where
a careful economy d. not prarfIeed lg
Tho disbursement ~ the general funds
TO is. Iu pos Judgment. 90 the want nf
"a proper system uf taxation thlt ha
present ad yaIorcm rate is due. Frr
more than thirty years wo have boon
depending almost altogether npon fla
method observed prior 10 the civil war
without conforming to tho changed cln-
dItIons
The records OF the courts. civil and
show that The Oar greater par-
lion 1' their time H consumed In fho
adjudication 0f cases Iu which right. COB
b. personal property aud wrongs
against 90 ore alone involved u is but
seldom noH-1-days that uuc fu or
rrpl upon ROAD estate become. 70.
natter Of litigation 0r chat criminal
.r'i0u with which DO 4. directly 1r DOB.
.Ira.r'v connected i- Instituted And
10 O.. t1 expenditure .H tha different
rancho. Of tbo executive. department
N0fwIthslaud.ug these facts personal
nl corporate property o. must he al
II1.1. has altogether failed t0 y.aI
% thc demand iur fuse ana equitable
ys'om OF taxation n hla. mot only
gro but elsewhere successfully eyad.'
very effort 90 enforce it equitable con
rluUtiun 90 The Import OF the govern
nont As 90 this there can be- no d.
.lslou u sentiment The tax rolls of