The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-03
DEMAND REFORM
Taxation Experts Say System of
Revenue Collection Is Wrong.

Constitutional Amendments Urged 10
Give Legislature More Latitude In
the Fixing Of Charges Upon the
PubIic--opinlons Of Prominent Men.
Methods OF charging and collecting
taxes must be changed is the concen-
sus OF opinion among eminent stu
dents OF political economy and taxa
tion, who recently gathered at con-
ference in Columbus. Following are
extracts from some of the addresses
made at that time:
Acquiring a New Conscience.
Each state has its own natural ad-
vantages. and we are slowly but sure
ly acquiring not New England con-
science, nor Southern conscience,
nor Northwestern conscience, nor
a Pacific Coast conscience, but an
American conscience that in time will
prohibit bad or weak law in any one
state from causing injury or injustice
In any other state-Goverpor Curtis
Guild, Jr.
Taxation Of Public Service Corpora
tons.
II is a fact that all taxes and public
charges of every kind paiu by public
| service corporations, whether munich
pal, state or national are items of ex'
| pense and enter into the general
j statement OF the costs of ownership
and operation which must be taken
| into consideration by corporation
| managers, state commissioners. or the
Interstate commerce commission
whenever service rates are reviewed
for the purpose of determining theil
reasonableness. II Is also clear, wher
the system of accounting is sufficient
| ly developed to become uniform FOL
! public service corporations OF al
classes and to produce comparable
statistics, properly classified, Of al
costs Of ownership and operation, anC
OF all earnings and receipts Of ever
kind. that a mathematical rule for de
tcrmining the reasonableness Of RATE
can he devised and given legal effec
in statutory law by means of whicl
corporation managers. state commits
stems. state legislatures, the inter
state commerce commission. the con
rTcss and all cou Is, state and federal
ca be guided in reaching their cor
Clrsions.-Allen Ripley Foote.
Inheritance Tax Discouraged.
Is Il desirable to employ the inherit
au2e tex as an instrument for reduC
ils swollen fortunes? The questio
Z isuTeJ that there is in the Unite
states an undue concentration @
wealth and power in few hands
CnG that such Is the case | should
enc Cf the last TO deny. IL has lon
ccY evident TO thoughtful men thf
enormous fortunes have been create
tlinigh special privileges accorde
by tic law or wrested from the pei
, pic in defiance Of all law A few year
ago this statement might have needle
o-be supported by a bill of particl
/, lars, but today II will be as readily III
dorstc tcod as If were to refer you
facts iudicially ascertained in court
OF law, or brought to light by the bI
ltdu u CDIIOldilOHS anu lultIhNdl
commerce commission. Fortunatel
the country is thoroughly alive TO III
, situation, and is turning 10 the pro-
lem with a normal earnestness whic
augers well for a reasonable solution
, In tho alarm and righteous indlgn
ton aroused by recent disclosures
is not strange that many person
u should be ready to strike at offendh
= individuals and corporations with M
weapon that may chance to be
hand But with all respect to Il
high source from which the sugge
ton has come, am constrained
i believe that the inheritance tax is n
the instrument to employ.-Profees
Chas. j. Bullock.
Tax Rate Too High.
The tax rate of municipal distric
n in Ohio today averages 3h per cer
The banks of Cleveland pay A per ce
on deposits. The tax rate in Ottaw
O., is $4.i0 per 500; banks pay
u per cent. How can a taxpayer live
\ either city IL his money is on depos
II there, and be honest? He must
II one OF three things: move out OF Il