New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-11
FOR UNIFORM TAX RATE.
CIVIC FEDERATION DEPARTMENT LAYS
PLANS FOR WORK IN ALI, STATES

There was meeting here yesterday of the ex-
ecuuVe committee and OF some other members OF
the taxation department OF the National Civic
Federation at which q further step was taken in
laying out the work previously formulated in a
general way by the department.. There has been
so much talk of the National Civic Federation in
connection with the coal strike and other labor
troubles that 1t Is generally supposed that the
element of such difficulties is the sole object of
the organization That, however is the field of
the industrial department only and tbsre ara a
number of other departments in the federation
one of which is the taxation department The
meeting yesterday was the last of series of in
formal conferences The results arrived at I'D
to date were given by the secretaries at the
offices of the federation. No PSI Fourth-ave John
R. Commons is the secretary OF the taxation de-
partment. Ralph NJ. Easley is secretary of the
general federation.
The taxation department at previous meeting
had adopted platform favoring the principles of
interstate comfy applicable to Stare and local
taxation 1t then declared that the same prop
erty should not be taxed at the same time In two
States, and the principle was also applied to in
heritance taxes. Various other causes for dis
satisfaction with the existing system were also
recited-
At the meetings which eliminated Yesterday pre-
liminary steps were decided on to carry out the
programme implied in the adopting of the statement
of principles These steps to be series OF COM
prehensive investigations throughout the country
and the publication of reports giving the provisions
of existing laws and their operation far they
involve double taxation the taxation in
State OF property In other States. The department
Will nave the assistance of correspondents in oil
the States. Many of these were named by the
Governors of their respective States delegates
them have been named, and committees are
being organized In all the States and Territories.
There will be 1ortyone legislatures in session this
winter in the various States Territories and il
is hoped that bill be submitted at all of them
for uniform law dealing with taxation.
In this work the federation Will have the assist
ance of two committees recently appointed at Sara
=
other at the meeting OF the State Boards of Com
missioners on Uniform Laws
Mr. Commons said yesterday that IL was expected
that the work undertaken would prove to De
the most important yet taken toward the reform or
State and local taxation in the United States Inc
department does not concern itself with federal tax
alton 1t is of course, not expected that there sa
be the rates Of taxation in different states,
is any effort to be made to prevent each state
from deciding whether IN the of mortgages the
mortgage may agree to assume the tax or not
The especial aim is to have all property taxed only
where 1t is situated. Nearly all of the states IL Is
said. disregard this principle particularly IN the
less degree IN the of stocks. bonds and other
evidences of debt The immediate object OF the IN
vestigatOn now set on foot is 10 determine accu5
rately the which this practice IS carried
on and actual fiscal results obtained by the sew
States through their efforts tax property te
'situs' which is in other States. This fnrorrna-
ton will be compiled and published. and the Dill
for uniform law drawn after CONSIDERATION Oh Iiie
results
It is expected that the work will be suffic1entiy
forward for the committee to hold another meet
ing early in December.