Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-09-25

other industries possible and in the
rapid growth of our country. naturally
many inequalities have arisen, which
for a time have placed greater hard
ships upon one class than upon an
other. The farmers being the pioneers
of civilization. have naturally been the
first to suffer from discriminating con
ditions. AS, for instance, originally
when the colony of Pennsylvania was
founded which later, under the deyel-
opment Of civilization, grew into state
with an organized government requir-
ing revenues for the administration
of public affairs. the tax burdens nee
essarily fell upon real estate, farms and
homes, as there was nothing else to
tax. But in course of time manufac-
tories, commerce and transportation
became necessary and banking insti-
tutions to financier them, and when in
dividuality and enterprise no longer
had the capacity to manage them 1t
became necessary to create great cor
porations and financial institutions
with centralized ability TO control
them.
TAX REVISION IS NECESSARY.
Under these conditions it also be.
came necessary to tax these new enter
prises for the privilege and protection
accorded them by the state. But so
rapid has been their growth and so
powerful their influence that the state
has scarcely kept pace with them in
adjusting its new revenue policy to
meet these new requirements, and as a
result the real estate, farmers and
home owners, have been and are now
paying a disproportionate share of the
public burdens.
"In meeting these new conditions
and in correcting these growing in
equalties, the Republican party has
been foremost In 1866 it amended the
tax laws so as to relieve real estate of
taxation for the state government
proper; and on the other hand imposed
on personal and corporate property
and licenses for business privileges the
entire expenses of the state govern
ment.
But it soon became apparent that
imposing the entire expense OF the
state government upon these subjects
of taxation would not correct these
great Inequalities.
ut was in 1891 when the Grange
took up this subject before the public
and so forcibly pressed it before the
legislature under what was known as
the Taggart or Grange Tax bill, that
the Republican party came TO the res
cue and passed a compromise bill,
known as the Boyer act, whereby taxes
on corporate property were sufficiently
increased to enable the state to appro-
pirate $1,000, 600 to our public schools
annually and to return to the counties
three-fourth of the personal property
tax, amounting to two millions three
hundred thousand dollars, also to Sc
cure for the counties and townships
the entire retail liquor licenses,
amounting to three million five hun
dred thousand dollars more thus max
ing an annual saving to the local tax
payers Of eleven million three hundred
thousand dollars.
"By this legislation the Republican
party has saved for the real estate,
farm and home owners, in the past
eleven years, one hundred and twenty
four million three hundred thousand
dollars.
But notwithstanding all this great
progress secured by the Republican
party, as demanded by the Grange and
real estate owners, in equalizing taxes
between the different industries for the
necessary support Of the several di-
visions Of government there are still
great and unjust determinations be-
tween the personal, corporate and real
estate property holders which the Re-
publican party stands pledged to cor
rect in the future as guaranteed by its
action in the past"