The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-08-28
Taxation Question

the vaue of the notes, would continue
to pay SO
There Is nothing more conducive
to good citizenship and the public
welfare than homestead ownership.
1t should be encouraged in every
possible way. Laws that initiate
against ii should be amended or re-
pealed and liberal ones substituted.
Under our present laws one who
buys home on credit is taxed both
on the home and on the debts h.
owes. The home is the ony founda-
ton for the value OF the notes The
creditor collects his interest from the
owner and must consider the tax he
must pay out OF the interest The
debtor furnishes the money in the
way OF interest to pay the creditor <
tax on the notes ii this tax was
not to be paid there should and would
be less interest to pay
Il l. the experience not only in
Mississippi but elsewhere that the
attempt to tax tangible property in
the same manner and to the same eN-
tent as other property operates very
INEQUALITY The majority escape i
altogether while it frequently works
a hardship on those least able to
I bear it The old methods are being
abandoned or modified and the re
suits have been encouraging.
] believe that a system can be
evolved by which the revenues can
be more evenly distributed than al
present 1t is better that all should
! pay a little than that a few should
he required to pay where the major
| ity escapes. At present we are driv-
ing the money OF our own people
out OF the state while only the large
borrowers can get it from abroad
Our tax laws are certainly not pro
noting prosperity in the state They
should be revised so as to discourage
investments of the circulation OF
money, especially when it can be
done without the sacrifice OF revenue.
There is much difference OF opin-
| ion regarding the value of railroad
property IF the contention be we'll
| founded that railroads are worth
more than the cost of construction
| it Is strange that more OF them are
not built. The real value should
| however. be the basis of assessment
and it should be i'll the same proper
( ton Is other property is assessed
and in fixing values. VIC should bear
i'll mind the valuable terminal facil
tiles upon which they are are taxed
i'll other states 1t is easy for one
! seeking f.Vurs to arouse prejudice
against railroads and other corpora
tons but in dealing with them hon
esty IS the best policy" We have tn
| power to both supervise and ta~
them. This Is necessary and right
but the power hould be exercised
with fairness and moderation. Kind
| " relations between the roads an,
the public is best for all concerned
| We want more roads and nothin.
will encourage their building as mucf
as fair and liberal treatment of thos,
we have Nothing contributes NOR,
| to increased valuation. Some of th'
| New England states collect no ta1
on private property but leave that 70
| local taxation Massachusetts col
lects nearly 100000 from corpora
tions and taxes them less than we dc
in Mississippi Had they been OPP
pressed or discouraged in the begin
ming values to produce the presen
revenues would not exist. The roa'
between New York and Boston car
ries one hundred passengers wher'
our roads carry less than four. Tn
fare i two cents per mile which no
only makes the roads prosperous bu
enables them to contribute largely Il
the support of governments OF tn
states through which they pass. Tw'
cents per mile pays better than 81.
cents would here. The souther1
people are the best on earth but the,
sometimes show want OF pract1c
and perseverance The fruit shout
never be plucked before it IS ripe
There is a Withholding that tendetI
to poverty" and there may be
taking that tendeth to stagnatior
Let us avoid it and look to the futur
for returns-Union Advocate.