The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-03
Letters fo The Editor
INEQUALITIES or TAXATION.

Some Ge Practically Fxes-0thefs Hit Editor The Advertiser:
 I notice in your issue of today . letter signed "R". in which tax dis crimination fs complained of. have been giving this subject some consid- eration and would like to mention . case or two by way of illustration:
 In my town there are two banks. . national bank and . private bank Both tax year 1908 the national bank had no surplus. while the private bank had a surplus of $10,000 and undivided prof. its several thousand dollars in excess of the national bank. Now, for that year the national bank paid State, county and city taxes to the amount of $950. while the private bank paid state. county and city taxes to the amount of only $32.40.
 That is discrimination with ven- geance. It is not fair 1t is not just; 1t is not even law.
 It seems almost a parody to speak of law in connection with the assess ment and collection of taxes"--e All the officials connected with the business are frce to admit that the laws have not made to enforce them. Assessments have been made all the way from noth- ing to a 100 per cent qf valuation.
 The State Tax Commission was cre- ated for the purpose of eaualisine tn. the does its work well and fairly. the Leg islature never did a better piece or work than create the Commission. IL appears to m6 that an equal and just enforcement of the tax laws would
 But, will they do It? We can't tell yet. I understand. however. that they have announced their intention of as- sessing all property at 60 per cent or its value. except the banks. and Of these they will require book values.
 Neither one is law, and there Is not a semblance of reason or justice in the discrimination. The Legislature ab- solutely refused to pass the Tunstall bill. which fixed percentage basis for assessment Yet, on the heel of this some one introduced bill giving the Governor power to name percentage basis. l don't know what has been or will be the fate of this bill. How ever, trust 1t will be legalixed and be put in a shape for the courts to knock the whole thing into the shape of cooked hat
 Again, I detect from "R's." letter note of sympathy for the poor man, and Incidentally. . thrust at. the corpora. tions. rhe poor man gets great deal of sympathy, but that Is not all he gets 1 know, because I am one of them. Leg islators are very anxious about the welfare of the people" They do ev- erything for them and avoid even the appearance of doing anything against them; yet when they adjourn the poor man still has his burden.
 So much has been said against the corporations and so very little for them that the people" and conss- with ''dementia corporitiOne." The people" own the railroads. the insur- ance companies, the savings banks and many other corporations. What the people need to du is to fight monopolies, rebates. unjust discrimination. and the thieves whoeare steslinx the peoples money by manipulating the stocks pr the corporations. No. I don't think corporation in itself Is bad. am a member of two. still don't think that zen" For the year 1906. one of the corporations with which I am connect cd paid heavy privilege tax and. be- sides, an advalorum tax on l0o per cent of its cash value; the other one paid an advalorum tax on e1 per IT., cent ess law in one case. and nearly all of 1t in the other.
 A few days ago heard . farmer complaining of his taxes On being acre for his land and had standing offer of $45 per acre in cash for it. He admitted that he had been giving 1t in for taxes at $7 per acre, but tnouRnt that was too hlGn. You see ne is pay ing on about IS per cent valuation. Very likely he is among those who think the corporations are not being taxed enough. I have heard 1t said that the principle of taxation is to make the other fellow pay it. If this be ac- cepted. some of those in this neck of the woods are succeeding admirably.
 I believe in a square deal. fair play, and no favors. All property should be assessed on the same basis of valua- tion. whether of prince or pauper. man or corporation. whether the amount be one thousand or million. If this is done, no one will have cause to complain of discrimination.
 O. Gubernatore! Do this. only this' and may the gods elevate your glory 10 the skies, and perpetuate your mem ory as long as the waters now down the mountains to the sea
 Very respectfully,
 Subscriber.