The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-06-25
farmers TALK
Men Most Seriously Affected hpresS
Their Views On he Subject.
FAVOR CHANGE IN TAX SYSTEM

Masters Of State Oranges United In
View That Time 10 Ripe TO Abandon
System Based On Guesswork In
Favor of More Modern and Scientific
Methods.
Inasmuch as farmers suffer more
from an incorrect tax system than
others, their views or the question Of
tax reform are OF particular interest.
Agricultural leaders in various states
are carrying forward a campaign of ed
ucation that will lead to the adoption
of constitutional amendments that
will enable the people to secure q sys-
TEN that can be adjusted to meet mod
ern conditions. The following express
sions indicate the trend Of opinion:
From the Secretary v. Q. Department !
Of Agriculture.
Washington, d. c.. Jan. IL, 1908.
Mr.. F. A. Derthick, Master Ohio State
Grange, Mantua, Ohio:
Dear Sir-I have no hesitation in
saying that believe the people Of
Ohio through their legislative repre-
sentatives are entirely competent to
enact such laws as will do justice to
all citizens interested In the raising
OF money by taxation.
Very truly yours,
JAMES WILSON. Secretary.
| From Master Of the National Grange.
The primitive idea OF taxation, that
every form of property should be
taxed equally, appears to be gradually
giving way to the sounder view that
taxes should be SO levied as to yield
the greatest amount of revenue with
the least possible injury to productive
enterprise. 1t is now beginning to be
realized that the methods OF taxation
! SO long in vogue have been largely
matters of guesswork, and that 1t is
time that our systems of state and
local taxation should be reformed and
placed on scientific basis. Farm
products should, in my judgment, be
exempt from taxation. N. J. Bachel-
der, Master National Grange. before
the National Tax Conference, Nov IL,
1907.
From the Master Of the Washington
State Grange.
The attempt to tax all kinds Of
property by the same rule has in all
times, and in all countries, imposed
heavier burdens upon rural districts
tan cities, and in large degree has
measured the tax to be paid each .citi-
zen by the amount Of his consump-
tion, rather than by the oppol tunity
he enjoys to acquire wealth under the
protection of the state. When, as
chief executive Of the State Grange in
the State Of Washington. f1st called
the attention of the tatrons to the de-
A.rability of adopting a new method
by our state, had to point out that
the provision in our state constitution
which requires the uniform assess
ment and taxation of all property In
way and that progress in taxation was
impossible SO long as the constitution
forbade AL changes. 1t was necessary,
therefore, to inaugurate . campaign Of
education having for its object the
essential constitutional amendments"
&C. B. Kegley, Master Washington
State Grange.
From r. A. Derthick.
"Fifty-six years ago the trainers Of
our constitution fixed therein the uni
form rate on property value, binding
their own and future generations. The
tether is too short to meet existing
conditions; let us cut it and under
proper restraint have liberty to go far
afield in an effort to reach the millions
of intangible property now withheld
because OF the iron-clad uniform rate
for all classes of property. 1t is my
deliberate opinion that there should
now be lodged in some department. OF
the government, directly responsible
to the people, authority to revise our
system of taxation from time TO time
as changed conditions, necessity and
experience suggest. Before Ohio
Tax Commission, June g. 1897.
From Judge Henry M. Huspins. HtIs
Il am In favor Of the proposed
amendment to the constitution of Ohio
relating 10 taxation. The provision of
the constitution which provides a rule
of taxation seems to me to be based
upon economic fallacies, and expert
ence has shown that it lowers the
morals of the people The law and
the practice in the matter OF taxation
in this state can hardly be worse
Henry M. Huggins.
From II. p. Miller, WeGtsFVillS.
Il am inclined to credit the law
makers of the past half century and
the men entrusted with the adminiS-
tration of the laws with rs much wis
dom and patriotism as the members
of the constitutional convention OF
1851, yet the experiences Of over half 2
century have shown the taxation sys-
TEN then devised impractical and un-
just in theory and admtnistratiol. !
see no reason way should not have
as much confidence In the wtsdom and
patriotism of the present and succeed
ing generations as In the past genera
tions. 1t seems to me upwiee aRd un-
just for one generation to make Laws
in as nearly an irreVOcable fern as
the constitution, for another gsneTs-
ton whose social and governmental
problems It can not knoE. Therefore.
I favor removing constitutional re-