Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-10-16
THE CORPORATIONS
PAY THE TAXES
Under Republican Rule the Burden
Is Placed On Them.
CITIZENS PAY NO STATE TAX

Democrats, and Now Pennsylvania
Is Free From Debt-some Figures
For Democratic Shouters to Study.
Every home owner in Pennsylvania
has a vital interest in the approach
ing election. 1t is not only a question
of Democrat or Republican, of Patti
son or Pennypacker, but it is a matter
of dollars and cents to every owner of
a foot of land in the commonwealth
1t was the Democratic party that
plunged the state into a debt of S40,-
100000 that has required forty years
of Republican rule to lift. Republi-
cans should not forget this.
And yet in spite of this fact the Re-
publican system of state finances has
been the subject of the most persis-
tent attacks from its enemies. Demo-
cratic leaders when they assail the Re-
publican financial system in Pennsyl
vania know that they are deliberately
misrepresenting the facts. Unfortu-
nately the public at large does not seem
to have a very clear idea of the meth
cd by which state taxes are assessed
and collected.
Under the wise and beneficent legis-
lation of the Republican party in the
past thirty-fve years, the burdens Of
state taxation have been lifted from the
shoulders of the individual and placed
upon the corporations of the state.
CITIZENS PAY NO STATE TAX.
An impression prevails among the
people that they are taxed for all the
appropriations made to the public
schools, charitable institutions, the ju-
dietary, legislative expenses, the new
capitol, ETC., etc. AS matter of fact,
our citizens pay no state tax except a
liquor license tax and one mill on the
dollar where they own personal securi-
ties, such as bonds mortgages, ETC., the
tax on the same being four mills, three
of which are returned to the respective
counties. Money for all expenses of
the state comes from the corporations.
In direct contrast to this has been the
attitude of the Democratic party and
its legislation. Before the Republican
party came into power all real estate,
occupations over $4,000 per annum,
cattle, etc, were taxed by the Demo-
cratic party in time of peace; and even
with this enormous tax burden it left
debt of over $4,000, 900 in 1860, to
be provided for and lifted by the Re-
publican party. And the Republican
party has redeemed the credit of the
state; it stands to-day before the world
free from debt
MISLEADING TAX RECEIPTS.
The manner in which the various
collectors of taxes of the common
wealth have their bills and receipts
printed is largely responsible for the
misapprehensiOn tuat exists in the
minds Of the people upon this question
of state taxation. In almost every in
stance instead of having a separate
item for state taxes TO be used where
the person has money at interest sub
ject to taxation, and not otherwise,
almost all bills that are sent out by the
tax collectors have one item entitled
State and County Tax" Opposite
this head is placed the amount of the
county tax, and the person receiving
the bill is naturally under the impress
sion that the amount charged repre-
sents combination of state and county
taxes, and If questioned upon this point
the answer is always the production of
tax receipt showing the payment of
certain SUN of money under the head
of State and County Tax" The taxes
paid to the various local collectors,
under the designation State and
County Tax" go directly into the coun-
ty treasury for the exclusive use of the
county authorities.
The constant aim of Republican leg
islation has been to relieve the indi-
vidual taxpayer. Prior to 1883 the in
digent insane in the asylums of the
state were wholly supported by the
various local municipalities. This was
burden upon the individual taxpayer
AS the state debt was reduced under
the judicious management, it was be-
lieved that the commonwealth could
afford to assist the counties in the sup
port and maintainance of their unfor-
tunate poor. By the Act of June 18th,
1889 the expense of the care and treat
ment of the insane poor of the state
was equally divided between the state
and the several counties. The amount
paid by the state since 1885 under this
act amounts to $10,525, 900, more than
$650000 annually.
HELPING THE TOWNSHIPS.
Just as the burden of taxation has
been liften TO the>shoulders of the state
TO that extent have the townships, cit
les and counties been aided and over
burdened real estate owners assisted.
In the two items of INDECENT insane and
public schools, the state pays out of
its treasury nearly $S,000,000 a year.
To that extent every home-owner in
the commonwealth is correspondingIy
benefited
By the Revenue Act of Juno Sin
1891, three-fourth Of the personal prom.
erty tax is returned 10 the respective
coIIDtiac Tho oyoclIrf r,,4,,,.,,,l -.