The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-10
CHANGE TAX PLANS.
Bound Arguments In Favor Of the
Taxation Amendment TO
the Constitution.


lows:
I'm advocating the newer plan Of
grouping or classifying property, and
taxing each group a special or distinct
rate, in contrast to our present plan
of uniform rate, needs--from my point
OF view--few arguments to commend
II as far better plan than the one
that now exists. our present system
is NOT uniform, nor can II be made
so as long as valuation Is matter OF
| personal judgment or prejudice or the
! assessor Then under the 'in sight
plan OF uniformity that now exists,
visible property, in addition to its rea-
sonable tax, is FINED for being in
sight, because of the concealment OF
other property that can be hid, or
| sworn Off. This concealment is not
| all money, or bonds, or hidden mort
| cages The list OF exempted property,
or what amounts to 1t, is enormous,
but would be held under the classified
plan at reasonable value. Now all
sorts OF property like vacant lots in
the city are returned as farming
lands, when four OF them would buy
large farm. Classified and taxed as
city property, they would have a tax
able value commensurate with their
location and market value. Classified,
railways would be returned for taxa
ton for something above the actual
value OF the rails, ties and land under
them, based on country farm values.
AS now taxed, the invisible value that
pays dividends, and makes their
: bonds worth from S110 to $l.75, es.
capes, and the bonds and mortgages
! as we'll. while the farm mortgage &C.
=. tually calls for two taxes. The fran.
chise would then come in for its right
J ful value and taxation. This fran,
chise matter should be of general ap.
, plication and the bondholder pay his
! rightful tax, as against land taxation.
e This should apply TO all chartered in.
l dustries They are certainly prop
r cIty, us It Is this franchise that gives
! tiem o bonding and dividend recogni.
i iion in the stock markets, and hence
= chould be classified and taxed as to
2 value.
Classification would help us to Co.
cape great burdens of double and trip
! III, taxation. The farmer pays taxes
J. on The land, taxes on his live stock
: Lay, grain and the like that they eat
= II on hand April first, and II he shal
add u dollar TO the Identification o
! ~ homo. or the housing of his stock
: Li1re tax is added. But the tens oI
/ Llliions of dollars on deposit in the
e great banks escape because no one
D win adnit ownership, in whole ol
E2.t. and the bank shifts responsible
10y so money escapes taxation tho
sar!c as docs tire oil in the great OF
a tan!s OF Ohio. millions of barrels, be
cause II il IN transit, when II is {
fact that IL is simply in storage, al
the tanks are full to the brim all thu
time. The tank is taxed at junl
prices. but the $4,000 worth OF OF
stored therein will escape the asses
1 Bor's book. Under classified taxation
/ the storage capacity of the tanl
/ would make ii pay its share, including
1 contents
"This evasion Of listing the invis
1 ble property has gone to Il poin
\ where the man who "dodges" justitie
himself that he is simply protectin
himself from the inequalities Of ou
1 UNIFORM RATE of taxation by cor
cealing part to equalize what is Wis
ible When taxation and interes
rates run close race, there will b
concealment of property great under
valuations, reservations and 'exeml
tons that amount 10 actual seques
j ering of property. But classified, an
q specially fixed tax charged on eaci
the aggregate added to the duplicate
and Increased revenues to state an
county will be enormous, and taxatio
rates and interest rates will quickl
part company. The bank deposits {
a village and city as rule far e!
ceed the personal property returned
and this Is not saying that all pc
sonal property now goes upon the lis
but II this deposit money was TO pa
de one-fourth OF / per cent tax as d.
posits. this sum alone would be ver
great in the aggregate. 1t would NJ
| lHtU Dt Al Fl.Nf dn lAOWt lOi AoNlu
money. II would become levy Il
the protection of property and mai
tenance OF law and order.
THE laws Of 60 years ago, viii
framed in conformity with the the
conditions, were not made elastic
cover the hundred and one forms
property that since have come in
existence. nor do | see how 1t can
'corralled' for taxation until we ha'
classified plan OF taxation. Son
an way this great unclassihed asgreg
ton of franchises, corporate interest
deposits, stock and bond issues al
partnerships are guaranteed by La
and exempt by FLAW from payir
'as any helpful share OF the taxes. al
' they should be made to pay the
nv share, whatever that may be, into Il
lie, tax box and not SO nearly as no
'aS leave It's payment 10 the visible pro
an erty and then demand that the VII