New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-07
MR.. ROOT ON TAXATION.
The Contribution of Property to Revenue in
the United States.
ON The congressional Record.

! From The Congressional Record
-AIr. Root-Mr President, l wish to put upon
| the record in Immediate juxtaposition with the
! very admirable and able argument OF the senator
/ from Idaho Mr. Borahl some hsuTes, ard out a
! few which bear upon "A subject discussed In a
Senators Who have had long experience in the
courts are sometimes led by the habit OF adj
which they rely a little strongly little out of
drawing with the facts which should accompany
from some Of the statements made by the Senator
from Idaho. standing alone. with regard TO the
present burden of taxation
| 1t is not a fact that in this Republic property
does not now bear a very great proportion of the
burden Of taxation find in looking at the pre-
else figures since the little colloquy that took
place here Yesterday that In 1907 which is the
available for comparison the property in the
United States upon which the ad valOrem taxes
nicipal and other local governments We're levied
amounted at true value to $9'SlOOOOOOO; that
at the rate OF seventy-four one-hundredths Of l
per cent; tnat Is, IN round hunters ourthS
numbers TO the equivalent of an income tax of
States. assuming an income Of per cent which
Is a high figure to place upon the income from
matter of fact the owners of real estate generally
throughout the Eastern states do not expect 10
In the State OF New York. which contains sub
erty of the United states. the holders OF real
estate do not expect to realize more than from
3 L TO per cent net. And If YOU assume those
figures for the income. this rate OF taxation would
mount up TO between 20 and 80 per cent of an
Mr. Borah-Nr President
The President pro tem--Does the Senator from
New York yield TO the senator from Idaho?
Mr. Borah-Tav ask the Senator from New
York who at last pays the large portion of the
real estate tax in this country. the real estate
owner the renter?
Mr.. Root-That is question of the shifting of
taxes which be put regarding every tax.
The tax is imposed upon the property 1t is paid
imposition Of the tax is In the ultimate shifting
and distribution. is entirely different question
Mr. Borah-But If income tax was in exist
WOul1 a
man who had shifted 1t to the renter. would II
Mr.. Root-Oh yes; there is no doubt about it,
But that is not all the tax that is imposed upon
otheI than al Nalorem taXeS-taXes upon cor
porations, taxes in the nature of licenses. taxes
Tor the right to carry on business or various
xmas, income taxes, inheritance taxes the
amount OF revenue derived from taxes Of that
kind falling upon the property owners amounts
to so great a sum that in the State OF New York
no taxes levied directly upon real personal
property any longer necessary for defraying
the expenses of the state observe that the
appropriations Of the State Legislature in the
state of New York at the session which has re-
Gently concluded about S3I 100000.
All Of that. Mr. President, will be paid from
taxes of the character have now described other
than ad valorem taxes levied upon real or per-
sonal property. and the addition of such taxes
brings up the revenues of the local divisions of
the country to substantial equality with the
expenditures which find for the year 19O2-that
IL, the receipts of the states, counties and mu-
inequalities and the other local subdivisions of
hundred and hfty-stx million and more was all
raised by taxes levied in the different ways that
States. and. making the allowance Of per cent
income, these exactons from property would
amount to the equivalent OF an income tax OF %
per cent.
So, while my friend the Senator from Texas
MIR. Baileyl proposes to levy an income tax or
per cent. and my friend the Senator from Iowa
lMr Dolliverl proposes 10 levy an income tax
per cent. and while l not now arguing
against the imposition Of an income tax, I beg