The Elbert County tribune., 1902-07-10
AUSTRALASIAN LAND TAX AMENDMENT
DISCUSSED AT COLORADO BAR MEETING


Colorado springs. July 3.--Thc Col
lorado Bar Association devoted yester-
day afternoon to discussion Of the
AustraInslnn land tnx amendment TO
the state constitution. which is TO be
voted on next fall. Senator Bucklin,
tho originator OF the measure. spoke
In Its favor and It was opposed by
hIessrs. Lafayette TwItchell and Har-
lvey RIddel OF Denver.
Senator james w. Bucklin said:
"With the general denunclntion OF
our presefit method, or rather lack Of
method, OF collecting state and local
revenue. which denunciation has been
all but universal by courts. law writ
ers, political economists and all think
Ing men. will not therefore presume
you Ignorant. The present tax sys-
tenn. already discredlted by all
thoughtful minds, cannot continue.
and all those who have reflected on
the mntter are therefore ready 10 make
any rational change In taxation.
III the new system IL just, wise and
practical, that fact would be proved
by Its nctunl operation. and on the
other hand, II the new tax Is not an
Improvement. that fact would also be
demonstrated, and all agitation for the
new proposition would thereupon, OF
necessity. cease.
II have seen the AustraIaslan tax In
actual operation In several differens
countries, and among millions of An
Elo-Snxon people. know that II VIII
work well, and that II Is Just. wise and
practical. In proof OF such knowledge
l stakcd my whole political future on
Its successful operation, and allowed
sbe success or failure Of the Whole
question to be settled by n test in a
single county, and that county perhaps
my own, where 1 VIII be one of the
sufferers or bcneficlnries. Under the
amendment single test can be made
in one county which will settle the
whole question. Now, / have this
proposition to make. | propose that
NIL honest opposition to the Australia
sian tax amendment cease, that we
all join In securing It's adoption and
then that some one county be selected
to make the test Of its value and thus
settle the whole question. What do
our opponents say? VIII they Join
" In a friendly test. or are they
afraid we are right? Do our oppo-
nents believe In their own arguments.
vi nAG tItf JOhink ~ Jul oRRththt'
believe the amendment TO be bad, why
not vote for 1t, allow the truth Of their
arguments to be proved. and thus cas-
fly stop the whole agitation of the
whole question? / pause for un an
swer.
"The Austrnlasinn tax amendment Is
not, strictly speaking, n tax amend
ment Mt all. II does not levy any taxes.
nor authorize any taxes 90 be levied
OF any kind or character. Nor is 1t a
proposition to assess any property for
taxation. nor does II authorize any
kind OF Assessments or valuations to
be made. II is simply and only a prop
ositioD authorizing certain exemptions
from taxation. It simply takes the tax
and assessment laws Just as they
stand, and from any assessment which
may be made by law, 1t permits the
people. by means of the initiative and
referendum, to exempt certain classes
of property from local taxation. 1t
does not mike the exemptions itself,
but authorizes the people of any coun-
ty 20 make them II they so desire.
Mines and mining land, and railroad
property for instance, would be as
sessed under the amendment just as
they are now, but from any assess
personal property and improvements
could be made.
"In formulating the Colorado amend
ment. adopted absolutely the princi-
pie Involved in the Australaslan Tux.
but OF course followed American mod
els, and the genius OF our institution,
nnd not the forms OF the Austrnlasan
laws. Our tax laws We're already In
operation, and all that had to be done
was to draft the provision concerning
exemptions. but in doing that 1t be-
came necessary 20 change our state
constitution and to formulate constl-
tutionnl provisions, something un-
known to the Individual colonies.
''It is true that some of the institu-
tlons and conditions III Colorado differ
from those In the colonies. but they
do not differ In any material respect
which would AFFECT the principle Of
this tax. They have all kinds of prop
erty in the colonies of substantially
the same kind and character which we
hnvc In America Any taxation or ex-
emption OF any personal property or
improvements would therefore pro-
duce the same results in both coun-
tries.
'It is also stated in opposition. that
only a small part of the land owners
OF Australasia are taxed, most Of them
escaping through exemptions. This
statement Is one OF those half truths,
which Is an absolute misrepresentu-
tion. The tax for local purposes,
which is by far the most important
part OF the Australasian tax. does not
in any of the colonies have any cx-
emptions. but under It all or nearly all
social values, not owned by the gov
ernment. are taxed. Neither are there
my exemptions from the Australasian
state tax In South Australia. In New
Zealandand in New South Wales. how
ever. exemptions of certain land own
crs are permitted from state taxation
only. which exemptions are not an es-
scntial part of the system, but are In
xsoufiief with fla Drlneinlp and havp