The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-17
FLAYED BY JACGARD
EXISTING SYSTEM OF TAXATION
ROUNDLY CRITICISED By DIS
TRICT COURT JUDGE
ADDRESSES BANK CLERKS
Law Compels Small Owners of Real
Estate to Pay Burdensome
Taxes, but OverloOks
Corporations.

The present system Of taxation received
fiaying last night ct the hands Of Judge
E. A. Jaggard, who delivered an address
on the -ssubject of Taxation of Banks,
Moneys and Credits" before the AsSocia-
tion OF Bank Clerks of ST. Paul at the
regular meeting in the rooms OF the
Chamber of Commerce. All the rasping
sarcasm and keer-cutting humor, which
Judge Jaggard knows well how to use,
was hurled at the condition of affairs
that causes the small owner of real es-
tate to pay burdensome taxes, while the
giant, corporations cVade their. debt to the
state with arrogance and impunity.
ssThe people. of the United States" said
the judge, are entirely too busy to pay
any great amount of attention to the
subject of taxation. 1t may appear TO
some that such Is not the case, but the
fact is, that the people are only begin
ming to realize the fact that the extrava-
gance of the government is something
monumental
1.-The present system of taxation is not
only bad from financial standpoint,
but likewise from the moral view. In
der the present system people make oath
as to their wealth, perjuring themselves
year after year, with equanimity. The
assessor takes his oath of Office without
the slightest intention of doing What ne
swears to. And this is perjury, the same
and Identical offense for Which men are
sent to prison. And yet we all know
that it is not the uncommon, but the
usual. thing. "a condition of affairs of
this nature is something frightful to
contemplate when one stops to consid-
er it.
Should Copy English Model.
Taxation in the United States is ac-
cording to value, taxation in England is
ON the ability Of the taxable object to
produce revenue. The latter is the better.
Our own experience in this state should
prove to US that the district that gives
protection to property should receive the
taxes.
"a manifest discrimination between the
individual and the corporation is the law
which allows the debts of the latter to
be subtracted from all its taxable prop
erty, while it is only deducted from the
credits of the individual. 1t is notorious
that foreign corporations doing millions
of dollars worth OF business in the state
do not pay as much taxes as the retail
butcher. IF these corporations were
forced to pay their share OF the taxes the
taxation on real estate would be cut
down fully one-haIf. AS it is, the small
real estate owner pays the heaviest tax,
and the banks next
"Of all our taxation laws, those relat-
ing to banks arsA the cIearest and the
best The reason for this is that bank
ers appear to have acquired that rare
virtue of telling the truth. The system
Of inspection by the government assures
this. In regard TO all other enterprises
our method of taxation is a taxation on
honesty.
1.-The correct manner of taxing corpora
tions is to tax, first, the real estate, tam
gib1e personal property, intangible prop
erty, such as franchises and good will,
which, in a great many cases, are its
most valuable, asset the shares of stock,
plus its debts, minus the real and per-
sonal property
Judge Jaggard was given a vote Of
thanks for his interesting and instructive
lecture. and the association, hoping for
future treats of this nature, decided to
hold two meetings a month. instead of
one. Secretary W.AB. Glow uniformed the
association that the executive committee
had decided on a smoke social for Jan. 10.