Putnam patriot., 1908-11-13

Putnam Business Mems Association
Tax Commissioner cerbiu's Address.

N commissioner Cerbin's Address.
 one Of The most important meetings ot the Association WAS that held Tt,es- day evening, when nearly one hundred oi our leading citizens were present.
 9eorge l.. shaw stated for the exeeu- uNe committee, that they were plan. hing for some stationery for the Asso- elatlon, with a picture thereon of the railroad showing the great number of freight ears usually there-beafing out what ex-Mayor MulIan and station Agent Jewett had reported relative to the importance of Putnam as ship ping center.
 President Wheaton then spoke of his recent trip to the Fair, and said:
 "l can assure you that what I saw at the Fair was a grand sight. IL was very inspiring thing 10 see a thousand representative business men of the State gathered together. They formed in line in front of the grand stand, marched around the track and then arranged and had group photo- graph taken.
 The outcome before the l5,000 people present Was very aaimating sight. It was merely an outing. The visitors were met at the station by the Dam bury Business Mems Association and well cared for. We had a fine time in seeing and enjoing the Fair, W whieh was big thing.
 "At the meeting of the State Busi- ness Mems Association, in New Haven on October 10th, Richard German and myself were present. The attendance was general from all over the State, and quite a large amount of business was transacted. There was an inter esting discussion relating to the pack age postal delivery. 1t was gratify- ing to be present and to know that Put nam was represented in the State Asso. ciation.n
 President Wheaton said he thought it well, if the members saw fit, to ap point judges to decide on the merits o the presentation of the question to bt discussed.
 Messrs. l.. H. Fuller, Ed. Mullar and Mayor McGarry were then ap pointed judges.
 Tax Commissioner William H. Cor bin was then introduced and spoke il part as follows:
 1 Mir. wm. H. Coshtn's Address. l MT. President and Members of the Bt siness Mems Association: l thank you for this opportunity C
 being here present tonight. When body of intelligent men invite me l.
 address them regarding taxes, l an always glad to accept.
 The subject of taxation is, as rule
 rather tiresome for most people. The.
 don't like it. They pay their taxe grudgingly and want no more sai'
 about it until the next year. That i
 not as it should be. It should be talk ed over in order to see if they canno
 arrive at better methods.
 Methods of taxation have existed since the time of the Romans. Blu
 you have not the time to listen to 1 history of taxation, and l will come right down to the present time. In Connecticut our system of taxa tioD is one to be proud of. The more you study it the better you like it. Hs had made up his mind that Connecli cut had more desirable methods than any he had ever heard described.
 The first point is freedom of consti- tutionaI limitation of taxation. Our Constitution doesn't mention taxation, but gives broad rules governing it all. All taxes are regulated by statutes
 In speech by Governor Swanson, of Virginia, at Connecticut Day at the Jamestown Exposition, he said that the Connecticut Constitution was the best example of government by the consent of the governed that he knew of.
 Other States have the same tax equal ly on all kinds of property-that IS, real estate, personal property, stock. c-edits, and other choses in action, and it makes the people pe1urers il they will not submit this intangible proper ty. And they are trying to change their constitutions to make taxation different on various kinds of property the same ss we have in Connecticut.
 Another thing is the desirsbifity Of exempting farm products. We never think Of taxing them here. Also hoes- al exem ption of mechanics tools. house. hold eoods, etc. He spoke of the man. ner of taxing railroads in this State oy what is known as the Connectcus
 method. Also of the manner Of tax ing corporate stock, which was nos tax able in the hands of the individuai holders, as the corporation itself IS tax ad the same as individuals, and the tax k distributed to the different towns in proportion to the amount Of stock there held. Money and chooses in &C., ,ion. if registered in the State Treasur- CTS office, are subject 10 the four mn rate. but many do not so register pre- f.rring to pay the local tax either De- s,a nhilanthropicaIly in-