The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-08-11

they have. given little attention ana
study to the intricate questions con-
nected with taxation. Our sister state,
Wisconsin, stands among the most
progressive of the states in this re-
spect, and it's people are determined
that their system, which is compara>
lively good, shall become better Ev-
cry state campaign there involves
some proposed change in the tax sys.
TEN. The Minnesota constitution so
hampers and restricts our legislature
that we have been unable to take any
step in advance in the matter of as
sessing. levying and collecting taxes.
The result is that we have a system
and even each political division in the
several counties constantly attempt to
escape its just and fair proportion o.
state taxes and shift the burden upon
some other locality. 1t is needless to
say that this system which allows one
county or one section of the state t"
taxation also enable one individual tn
escape the burden of taxation and shift
it upon his neighbour.
The storm of protest which MIR. Mi
nor's attempt has aroused in this conf
munity ought To turn peoples atten-
ton to the system which is the cause
of the whole trouble Th. people of
Minnesota have had at least one chance
to vote upon Il constitutional amend
ment which would allow the Legislature
To make some cfrectuai change. Either
because voters knew so little about
taxation or because they thought that
the matter was of no interest to them
the proposed amendment failed We
think that Il few more sustained eff
forts such as our assessor has made
will produce good results. 1t ought to
be plain to all that a system of taxa
ton which provides for taxes which
can be conveniently lodged is poor
promotes inequality in the matter OF
taxation. 1t ought to be an easy mat
ter in IL state like Minnesota to raise
sufficient revenue for state purposes
without depending upon the work Of
local assessors. If sufficient revenue
We're raised from taxes upon foreign
state and from railroads, telegraph and
express companies and other such
agencies, as is done in some states.
there would be no incentive On the part
of local assessors and county boards
returning small valuations in order to
escape their just share Of the state
cause is very great and it is become
ing more and more SO as the cities Of
The state grow in size. Our State Board
of Equalization, which is appointed
from judicial districts without respec,
to the population or valuation of the
different sections of the state, only adds
to the evil that is perpetuated in the
first instance by local assessors The
contest in the first instance is to re-
turn as low valuations as possible and
developes before the State Board OF
Equalization into Il contest between
the cities and the country.
1T would be hard to imagine sys-
tenn better calculated to promote In
justice and equality in taxation When
our system is considered in respect to
the different classes of personal props
erty aSseSs;lbe it is even worse BY tax
ing personal property such as house,
hold goods which rich and poor alike
must possess and from which it is
impossible to escape because that
property is always in view, and by at
tempting to assess securities such a..
dences of Indebtedness which it is all
ways possible to conceal and which
are possessed by the rich alone. an easy
method is provided by which the rich
may escape taxation on the greater
portion of their property, while there
is no possible avenue of escape for the
poor The direct result of the system
is that the small householder and small
business man pays far more taxes in
proportion than his rich neighbor who
owns valuable securities.
The attempt which MIR. Minor has
been making to reach concealed prop
erty by arbitrary assessments has re-
suited in an increased amount Of per-
jury and evasion on the part Of those
so assessed. \ tax on property that
can rarely be uncovered should never
! he attempted for it is only the unfOr-
tun;,tc and the extremely conscientious
that pay such tax. 1t is. of course,
easier to criticise a system of taxation
than to formulate one. Perfection In
taxation is impossible. When taxation
was first instituted taxes We're collect
ed only against those who were too
weak to defend themselves against the
extortion. In a certain degree that Is
still true But it ought to be an easy
matter for the state of Minnesota to
be ut least abreast of the times in this
important matter. Instead of having