The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-08-15
fARMtRs' OPINIONS
Tax Commission How to
Reform Laws.


made to the Tax Commission of Ohio
at its meeting on June 8:
o. E. 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
figure how the other fellow should pay
the tax, and think that is one of the
troubles through the state. II Is easier
to figure how the other can pay taxes
without finding op how you will pay
your share and escape II you can. We
are all little near-sighted. There
are many inequalities In the present
system. IL man has $4,000 in cash
and Is honest, he will return 1t at ac-
tual value, $4,000. II he invests 1t In
real estate il will be taxed, in my
county (Green) for about $4,000 or
$4,000. If in horses they would be
appraised at about SEQ in Green coun-
ty. S27 in Cuyahoga and $40 In Ham
ilton counties. Some one Is mistaken
In the value of horses. The very best
horses we ROW go to the city. If your
$4,000 is in cash IL 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
everythin~ the farmer has close up TO
the actual value. In merchandise the
storekeeper PAGES a value on his own
on the small side.
Let a dollar be a dollar no matter
In what invested, whether in bank,
telephone or railway stock, in land,
cash, mules. horses or cows. The
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 dec 1npial appraisement Is un-
wise and urjpst favor more fire.
quent appraisements.
C..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 1t can not be done. | favor such
an amendment to the constitution as
will change the old and inefficient
method, / do not !:now the details,
but would like to see the whole mat
ter placed in the hands OF a 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 + turns 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 il 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 a moral obligation
resting on each individual to that so
ciety. In the matter OF taxation 1t Is
q financial duty to society.
rhe 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 $1,000.
900 less mspufactured goods in 1906
than 1915. You ask the merchant one
question; he may have $1,00O,000
worth on his shelves; you ask the
two questions; you ask
the farmer 15 or 20 II seems to me
tIkb bOlfCb tuC kOIBclluihOo5 vi luO
and manufacturer.
In regard to classification In the
meager time have had to spare to
Il 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.
cent enjoys and will enjoy all the ben
efits that the man Who pays the full 4
tax enjoys. He will have the benefit
Of the roads, schools. insane asylums
and parks. In other words. he is to be
q citizen of this country on basis Of
per cent and enjoy every
privilege OF the man who pays his full
share.
We believe in the taxation of fran
chises, public service corporations and
IN inheritance tax. This might be dou.
BILE taxation. | would relieve double
wherever possible; do not
gee how you will get all intangible
The inheritance tax win
catch the property somewhere sNytene. along
been enjoying privileges that they |
should not be slow to pay for.
AS to the equity of taxing farm |
paying on mortgages and on |
lands. Here is double taxation that |
ought TO be relieved. ] encourage the |
of homes. like the Indiana
law, which exempts to the amount of |
every 500 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 mortgagee pay his |
tax on the mortgage, exempt the real
estate to the amount of the mortgage |
and make the tax lien on the prop |
erty, and onset the note by the re. |
ceipts paid on the tax.
II the constitution Is to be changed |
| wish you would be kind enough and |
good enough to the people to let them |
have chance in changing II. We |
realize the magnitude OF this question |
and our inability to solve 1t, but we |
believe IL is worth while to retain a |
moral law You can't afford to de- |
stroy moral law to establish a legal
one.
T. c. Iaylin, OF Norwalk, member
NJ the HQa cd Of Control af tha Uyona