The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-02
ABSURD TAX SYSTEM.

In the American Magazine for De.
cembcr, there is very strong article
by Albert Jay Mock on the absurdites
of taxation in New York. and on the
tricks of the taxdodgers His article
is especially directed upon the efforts
made TO collect taxes on personal prop.
crty. In illustrating his arguments he
shows how the great 6nanciers there
practically escape taxation on their per
sonal holdings. Carnegie, worth prob
ably $500 100000 In bonds and securi-
ties, pays personal tax on only $1,000
600 j. Pierpont Morgan pays tax on
only 100000 personally, although be
ls nnquestionably in command of almost
that many millions. Thomas j. Ryan
pays tax on only 100000 worth of per
sonal property. And so it goes. Even
on real estate the tax dodger has fer.
tility of ingenuity almost beyond be
lief. August Belmont is shown in this
article to have transferred his big Park
Row building to the Rothschilds in Eu
rope. with string to tho transfer, but
he saved 100000 in taxes by making
it, Mr. Mock proceeds to say that Just
such iniquities are perpetrated from
year to year under the rickety. shamb
ling, inhuman auachronism called the
general property tax-the idea Of which
is that taxes should be levied equally
on all kinds of property. Not in pro
portion to ones ability to pay. nor in
81 he hor
government, but equally. at the same
rate. upon all aggregations of prop
erty."
And he proceeds in his argument as
follows;
The United States is the only civilized
country that adheres 10 this insane Idea
Of taxation England. Continental Europe.
Canada all have abolished the general
property tax as unsound in theory and
outrageous IN practice. The United
states retains IT, Nearly all the states
have as bad a tax system as New York
some worse-but New York does very
we'll for an example because 1t is con-
| spjcuous.
The general property tax is a relic OF
the time when land worth little.
and one man was not great deal richer
! than another. when A rich man and his
property were in the same place: when
| personal property was all In stun that
| shows. when the assessor could walk
over mans farm. count up his cows:
look at his implements and household
goods. and get fair notion OF what
| he wor h.
Nothing like this is possible now Most
personal property Is intangible and does
no, show Tho great bulk Of il is in
token stuT-credits. bonds. stocks. mort :
ga ges. the evidences Of debt. II can be
| ", il need be-and its actual ownership
is traced with great difficulty. Any one
should see at once that the attempt TO
bring these fiscal ghosts under the terms
Of general property tax Is ridiculous.
In various ways Mr.. Mock illustrates
his position. showing almost absolute
failure of the effort TO tax personal
property. But there does not seem 10
be anything in his article showing what
can be done about II, and how the rich
man can be reached in his personal hold
/ ings He suggests tightening UP the
| law. amending the constitution. and
] finally the abolition of the personal
property tax altogether. The rich man
does not pay ard the poor man must
pay.
His argument is illustrated on the lat
ter point in this way He suppose:
that man with $4,000 starts a grocery
store. renting his store room. he put:
in stock of $4,000 and begins business
The assessor comes along. assesses him
for, say. $4,000 and he has TO paw the
tax. Another man may. start in bust
ness with 100000; he owns his site
borrows money on the real estate ss Sc
curity, and lets the debt stand perma
nently asaius, tho business. When tn
assessor comes. he is able TO show