The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-05-09
HOW TO EQUALIzE TAXATION
PRES. HOLBROOK'S ADDRESS BE- FORE CHAMBER orc COMMERCE.
Urges It's Members to Organize New Haven Taxpayers Defense Lengue Similar to the Chicn 20 Society.

Urges It's Members to Organize n New
 Haven Taxpayers Defense Lengue
 Similar to the Chicago Society.
 President z. Swift Holbrook, of the
 Massachusetts Telegraph and Telephone
 company, was the guest of the New
 Haven chamber of commerce last
 evening and addressed the members on
 Municipal Taxation" He offered as 1 the remedy for unequal and unjust tax
 ation the formation of New Haven
 Taxpayers Defense league, and told of
 the success which similar league in | Chicago had recorded. His remarks were very interesting and frequently applauded, and the chamber passed a hearty vote of thanks.
 | MT. Holbrook dwelt especially or the l assessment of real estate for the pur pose of taxation and incidentally he drew vivid picture of the regulation
 Chicago assessor, who willingly expends S20,000 to secure his election to an office
 whose salary is s5 per day for ninety days. It is not the paying of a tax but rather the inequality of the tax which creates complaint. Taxation is neces- Isary good for the production and protec- ton of property and honest citizens are perfectly willing to do their part If they
 can but be sure just what their part is.
 The very first and essential power of
 the state Is its right to tax. But the
 assessor is oftentimes an uncrowned
 king, holding the power to make or
 break the citizen, and to differ with an
 assessor is to engage in long drawn
 out and generally very expensive and
 unsatisfactory contest. Like the Chi cago board of aldermen they are "uii-
 wept unhonored and unhung."
 MT. Holbrook detailed his Chicago ex- periences with unequal taxation. which resulted in the formation of the Tax payers Defense league of Chicago, plan which he strongly urged the local chamber of commerce to adopt. It costs s5 to join the league. and the organza- tion receives third of all money saved to taxpayers by reduced assess ments It has been remarkably pros- porous and pays good dividends. The best lawyers of the city are retained to fight it's cases, which are invariably car ried to the highest courts if necessary, and no charge Is made unless the league succeeds in reducing the tatxation of it's client. It is a good thing for all con- cerned, has been given sufficient trial and proved beneficial. Citizens who re- gard themselves as over-taxed put their cases in the hands of the league for in- vestigation. If the tax is found to be equal and just report is so made to the client and accepted, no charge being made. If otherwise the fight Is begun in the courts and rapidly pushed Mir. Holbrook said that it Is notorious that some of Chicago's largest commercial are it's most successful tax dodgers. What they fail to pay is taken out of the pockets of smaller fry, the who can i'll afford to meet more than | their just obligations. There is no cer- Ianty, no equality, in the taxation of { unseen and intangible assets. The hon. 1 est man pays, the dishonest man avades, and thinks that he is doing . what every other man is doing or try Ing 10 do.
 New Haven should form an organiza- | ion to insist upon equitable taxation | It's influence and power would be felt | 1t once and be welcomed throughout | he city and state. It should let the as- sessore know that bribery meant inl- prisonment Assessors should be elect ,d for at least five eyars, as is done in New Haven. MT. Hobrook thought the I ,ost of collecting taxes of this city. | lbout 1 per cent, very low and dwelt | lpon the difficulty of establishing true | market values on property carrying a value. He favored putting he tax first on real estate and getting large tatx on he luxuries of life. in- leriances, etc, He believed that beer ind tobacco should be only moderately | axed.
 At the close of this address Attorney 1 1eorge w. Wallace presented motion, hat the chamber appoint half dozen or more committees to investi- rate and report on municipal fran hises, including railways, electric fight and power, gas water, telephones, lon-assessment of new enterprises a business administration of the city's af- airs, etc. He urged immediate consid- ration but after some discussion the natter was referred to the executive omnittee.
 Judge Hobart l.. Hotchkiss was ap- 'oint necrologlst of the chamber.