The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-08-08
FARMERS OPINIONS
Leading Agrlculturists Tell the state
Tax Commission How to
Reform Laws.

Leading Agrlculturists Tell the state
Tax Commission How to
Reform Laws.
Here ara some OF the pertinent ex-
pressions ON the subject of taxation
made to tie Tax Commission OF Ohio
at its meeting on June 3:
o. Il. Brandfute, of Xenia, member
of the Board of Trustees of Ohio State
university:
The more thoroughly look into the
tax question the more am convinced
that | was pretty close to one side OF
it. can see how easy 1t is for me 10
figure how the other fellow should pay
the tax, and think that is one OF the
troubles through the state. 1t Is easier
to figure how the other can pay taxes
without finding out how you will pay
your share and escape II you can we
are all a little near.sighted. There
are many inequalities in the present
system If man has $4,000 In cash
and Is honest he will return IT at ac'
tual value, $4,000: If he invests IL IN
real estate it will be taxed IN my
county (Green) for about $4,000 or
$4,000 If in horses they would De
appraised at about $50 in Green coun-
ty. $27 in Cuyahoga and $40 in Ham
iiton counties. Some one is mistaken
in the value OF horses. The very best
horses we grow go to the city. III your
$4,000 is in cash 1t is on the duplicate
at full value. in horses nearly up to
full value, if in real estate, less than
half the value. The assessor gets
everything the farmer has close up 10
the actual value. In merchandise the
storekeeper places a value on ms own
stock and he is usually pretty liberal
on the small side.
Let a dollar be dollar no matter
in what invested whether In bank,
telephone, or railway stock in land,
cash. mules. horses or COWS. Inc
trouble has been that the tax has not
been justly proportioned. Preble coun-
ty, which is purely agricultural, re
turns more credits, with debts deduct
ed, than Hamilton or Cuyahoga.
The decennial appraisement Is un-
wise and unjust. | favor more ire
quent appraisements
G. P. Dyar, Marietta:
| have no plan to propose whereby
money, stocks, bonds or credits, can
be put upon the duplicate. We have
tried long enough along that line to
show it can not be done. | favor such
an amendment to the constitution as
VIII CnanSe Tue olu anu ihehCicht
method | do not know the details,
but | would like to see the whole mat
ter placed in the hands OF perma-
nent tax commission. Let us do away
with the attempt to tax what can not
be put on the duplicate. The young
men buying homes who have been
mentioned here today will get the ben
eft in reduced interest rates. Put ac-
tual, tangible property on the dupli-
cate. Tax the public service corpora
tions much as we are doing, either
upon the gross returns or on the value
of their stock. Go after the property
itself, not the representatives OF that
property
c. M. Freeman, Tippecanoe City.
Secretary National Grange:
We find nothing particularly wrong
in the taxation matter If the other fel-
low would only pay his taxes.
We come into the world without our
own Volition, and We are protected by
society. There is moral obligation
resting on each individual to that So
ciety. In the matter of taxation 1t is
financial duty to society.
The assessor asks more questions
of the farmer than of the merchant or
manufacturer: true inventory is
taken of agriculture, but not of the
other industries. There are 81 ,000,-
900 less manufactured goods in 1906
than 1875. You ask the merchant one
worth on his shelves; you ask the
manufacturer two questions; you ask
the farmer 10 or 20. 1t seems to me
this solves the forgetfulness of the
merchant and manufacturer.
In regard to classification in the
meager time | have had to spare TO
it | have not been able to find one
word that has been said to show II
was just and right.
So, have been convinced that there
is no justice or equity in classification.
The man who pays one-tentls, of l per
cent enjoys and will enjoy all the ben.
efits that the man who pays the full |
tax enjoys. He will have the benefit |
of the roads, schools, insane asylums |
and parks. In other words, he is to be |
a citizen of this country on basis OF
one-tenth per cent and enjoy every |
privilege Oh the man who pays his full
share.
We believe in the taxation of fran
chises, public service corporations and |
BILE taxation. | would relieve double |
taxation wherever possible; | do not |
see how you will get all intangible |
property, The inheritance tax will |
catch the property somewhere along |
the line. Men of great fortunes have |
been enjoying privileges that they
should not be slow to pay for.
AS to the equity of taxing farm !
property, paying on mortgages and on
lands. Here is double taxation that |
ought 10 be relieved. | encourage the
building of homes | like the Indiana
law, which exempts to the amount OF
every 800 ON every mortgage for each |
individual, when the mortgage does
not exceed half the property. The
man who loans the money is more
able to pay tax than the borrower.
would make the MORTGAGE pay his
tax on the mortgage, exempt the real
estate to the amount of the mortgage,
and make the tax lien on the prop
eFty, and Offset the note by the re.
ceipts paid on the tax.
If the constitution Is to be changed,
] wish you would be kind enough and
good enough 10 the people 10 let them
have a chance in changing IL. We
realize the magnitude of this question
and our inability TO solve 1t, but we
believe ii is worth while to retain a
moral law You can't afford to de.
stroy moral law to establish legal
one.
II. C. Laylin, of Norwalk, member
of the Board of Control of the Woos.
ter Experiment Station, said:
favor inheritance and income
taxes and would extend the Nichols
law TO all public service corporations,
but not to industrial and commercial
would abolish the present levy on
real and personal property for state
revenue and leave the power to tax
NgNr tl.s. sts.a M. IL