The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-08-22
CLASSIFY PROPERTY
Or. w. I. Chonhsriain Fsvors q just
Taxatioi Amendment.


At the June meeting Of the Tax
Commission of Chic, DR.. w. I. Cham
berlain, editor of the Ohio Farmer, dis
cussed the subject Of taxation as fol-
lows:
The farmers have felt that the old
constitution, taxing all property on
a uniform ,asis, Is essentially Just,
and that the question of double taxa
ton might b. a j .stel by taxing the
farm, less its Indebtedness. But the
history of sc years has proven that
the thing will not work, and that the
farmers themselves are the suferers
As one of the editors OF the Ohio
Farmer, I appear before you to give
the views of Its owners. Its business
management, its editorial stan and
majority of It's subscribers.
To be successful tax must not
only be jdst and reasonable; 1t must
be collectablc. II must be so reason
able that even the toughest conscience
will not dare eyaie II. For example,
In Cleveland the savings banks pay 4
per cent and the tax rate is nearly
per cent, but based on valuation OF
real estate of about one-third OF 1ts
value and of per, onal property consid-
erably less than tiiat. II saving bank
deposits were taxei at full value that
would leave l per cent interest for de-
positors. Sucn tax Is unreasonable
and can not be collected. l repeat
that any tax to be wise must be col
lectable and must produce reasonable
revenue, must not be prohibitive. III
so higl as to drive out not only for
eign capital. but home capital also,
they not only produce no revenue, but
greatly injure our building, manufacc,
,trring and other interests as well. All
will admit that this Is not wise. A
majority of the taxes attempted under
the constitution Of 1851 on invisible
and intangible forms Of property. Is
not and can not be collected, and 1t
seems to- me unwise to try longer to
do It. e l,ft .ru..s fr
suggest the following principles:
Tax all property annually, where
found. once, and and only once, at a
just and fair rate. Avoid double tax
alton by not attempting to tax mort.
cages and other representatives OF
value, at usual rates. as actual prop
erty. In. case of mortgages the matter
will adjust itself between borrower
and lender in lower interest rates. The
history OF sc years proves the imprac-
ticability of trying to tex the property
less tie deDt, and tax the lender. Let
us abandon the attempt and tax the
pIODtIty dlClt. WCuiQ iuNOl. buCii
an amendment to the constitution as
will permi a Just classification OF all
property of various kinds; | would
have all Q e,iden noes OF debt recorded
with the CO. flty record er or the town
slip treasurer to be legally collect
able, with q record tax of one-fourth
or one.half of | per cent. This be-
cause the evidences Of debt rests On
property that has already been taxed,
t.H ta 10 oil 1v IN "
for their right OF access to our courts
and protection by our. military and
civil officers. Tax all valuable fran
c,ises and public utilities whose value
rests wholly or mainly upon the con-
centration of population. on the true
market, value of tseir stocks. but not
of their bonds. The stocks represent
what the companies own, the bonds
what they owe. would recommend
reasonable tax, say one-half or one
fourth of / per cent on savings de-
posits, collecting the tax from the
banks on their published and sworn
statement Of total deposits. The So
ciety for Sayin IS, Cleveland, has over
$51 100000 Of dero its. It pays per
cent. II this small tax were collected
the bank would pay its depositors 3h
the owners of the property pay for its
protection. This Is simply one bank
of many similar ones in the state. l
doubt the advisability of attempt to
tax commercial deposits. These are
usually CT short duration, the bank
pays no interest on them and the de-
positors can not be reached through
reducing the rcte of interest. Savings
bank deposits are larrely invested In
mortgage loans on real estate; since
this realty pa 8 taxes, to attempt to
tax these DIP 81 at regular city
rates woul olly be double taxa
til n, but saadT pie. and utterly i'm
pcs ible OF co le ton.
IT. Chapb" rla'n a-so favored in
come and inheri, nee taxes.
TO secure reforms recommended
requires the proposed amendment to
the colrii ton, Cr similar one, and
I thereff r. favor some such amend
ment because the present constitution
does not fairly or equitably apportion
the burdens OF taxation and the farm
ers have sufferei the most. In the ad-
justment OF details. the farmers, own
ing about cne-half the tangible prop
erty OF the state will claim the right
to be heard. and also representation