The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-06-02
TAX REFORM IS
BADLY NEEDED
In Neutrality-suspicious. of
Meeting.
IS HANDICAP ON THE STATE
Need of Revision Emphasized
In Exhaustive Speech by
Vim. A. Robinson.

Henderson, KY, May 29.-Much
good is expected to result in the way
of tax reform in Kentucky from the
first open meeting of the State Tax
and Advisory Commissions held here.
Three members of the Commission, A.
Y. Ford and William A. Robinson, OF
Louisville, and John b. Atkinson, of
Darlington, were greeted by large
gathering Of business and professionals
men of this city and section, and the
proposed amendment Of the present
tex laws was discussed from every
angle.
w. A. Robinson was the principal
speaker, and his address was intently
listened to by the very representa-
tive audience. His address was along
the lines of his investigation cf the
system of taxation in vogue in other
States. He said that under the pres
ent system he did not believe that
more than 80 per cent. of the person.
al property was ever given in for as
sessment, and that the present meth
cd of securing revenue caused men to
lie and to resort TO all kinds of tricks
to avoid as far as possible the pay
ment OF taxes.
The question of taxing mortgages
was touched upon, and the speaker
said that this was one OF the things
which caused more trouble and suffer-
ing in Kentucky than all other tax
measures put together. He
spoke of its being a burden upon the
poor. and In that connection, told of
how the State OF Louisiana had abol-
ished the taxation Of mortgages and
that in that State now they are treat
ed as interest in the property. In
the States that have adopted these
new changes in their constitutions
the rate of interest has dropped from
6 and per cent. to Az per cent. Any
State that keeps her people outside
of modern lines will suffer" he said.
Instances were cited OF where under
modern forms OF taxation the reyen-
ues to the States Lad increased 400
and 500 per cent. The continued bur
den of his address was that the system
had driven many good men from the
State. He spoke of the advantages
of Kentucky over the ether States,
and was especially frank in his state
nient that Kentucky had more coal
than the State of Penn sylvaria, and
that her resources were better, but
that the mercantile interests Of Penn
sylvania were ten times greater than
Kentucky because her system OF tax
alton was so much more liberal.
He said that the banks in this
State were taxed six times greater
than In that State. The lack OF bus
mess due to the eXtort!onate system
of revenue gathering was the cause OF
many of the best young men OF the
State leaving home and seeking bet
ter conditions; that the per cent. OF
non-native population had increased
only 3 per cent. iii the last twenty
years, and that the native population
had decreased at laset Is per cent. in
that time, and that we had practically
built only about I50 miles of railroad
III ten years.
James L. Rankin, president OF the
Henderson Cotton Mills and interested
In a number OF other plapts, was the
next speaker. He said that the es-
of manufactures in Ken
lucky was handicapped by adverse les
islation and the present system OF
taxation. Montgomery Merritt, Judge
e. c. Ward, Albert Liebre, George d.
Owens. Aaron Waller, B. G. Witt and
others were heard from. The general
was that a constitutional
should be made. by which
latitude would be given to the law
makers for the enactment OF a law
that will prove acceptable to all.
It was the opinion Of some that the
State, the counties and the cities
should derive their revenues from
different sources. that the sources Of
revenue should he classified and that
the taxes should be levied according
to the amount Of business done, while
others thought that plan would prove
a failure should 1t be on the income
from the businesses. At the close Of
The pcaafiro the, aoLlawinx. resolutions