The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1911-11-02

~DPNSss AiolC IHdI nlUe-ltDlHS VI
our people lived upon farms. During
the period of the civil war. the
farm still claimed so per cent of oul
population. Not so today. At least
one-half of our people now reside in
cities and towns, and the problem OF
the city challenges our attention.
The toilers on the farm and the
toilers in our great centers of popu-
lation have much in common. The
great Injunction: Bear ye one an
others burden" is creating a spirit
of cooperation and the time is not
FAR distant when the farmer in the
field will join hands with the laborer
in the shop and solve the economic
problem of the age
At the foundation of the economic
problem of our age is the question of
taxation; end it is to discussion of
this question from the view point Of
the city that We now proceed:
l. In many states, tax commits
sions have been created with power
to exercise supervision over the adj
ministration of tax laws; to, confer
with and advise assessors of the law:
to gather information concerning
values: and to investigate and study
the tax systems of other countries
and states.
9. The next step is the abolition
of the personal property tax. The
United States is the only country in
the world retaining the general pro-
perty tax. When nine-tenths of our
people lived upon farms. the injustice
of the personal property tax was
not so apparent as it is today. Then
most of the property of the land
holder was in sight. The assessor
had no difficulty in making assess
ments, and the burden of the per-
sonal tax was about eaually distribute
ed.
At the present time only one-half
of the nations wealth is land. The
bulk of the other consists of corpor-
alton property, stocks, mortgages, etc.
Credits, bonds, and the like, can be
changed in form, moved quickly, orl
put out of sight; and, as n gesult II
new conditions, millions of dollars of
personal property now escape taXation
altogether in the United States.
The payment of personal tax is
rapidly becoming a matter of choice
in this country. J. Pierpont Morgan,
worth many millions, is assessed at
only 100000 of personal property.
Thomas Ryan, many times a million
aire. pays personal taxes on the paltry
assessment of 100000; while Hettle
Green, and many other wealthy indi-
yiduals pay no personal tax whatever
In our own state man gave IN
his personal property assessment lie
died shortly thereafter, and his prop
erty was inventoried and appraised
The next year the tax on his personal
estate was increased one thousand
per cent.
The president of the New York tax
commission says:
.As the laws are today, no wealthy
man. who has proper legal advice,
need pay any taxes on personal prop
erty."
On the other hand, the personal
property tax falls, and falls heavily,
upon the ordinary man. His personal
property is generally in sight, or
matter of record. There is no diff
Guilty in assessing it to the limit. The
result is that the burden Of taxation
falls unequally-it falls heavily upon
the laborer, the farmer and the Dusi-
ness man owning visible property
A law so unequal in its operation. is
subject to the charge of class legisla-
tion.
Again. the personal property tax
nresents striking example of double
taxation. Nearly every article bought
over the counter has been subject ia
the assessment of the producer, the
manufacturer, the wholesaler, and the
retail merchant. The tax can be
shifted from one to the other until II
reaches the consumer.
In addition to being class legisia-
,,on and double taxation, the persona
property tax is an expensive methoo
of raising revenue. and the cost ol
securing some schedules is more ,haf
the tax.
The personal tax cannot be saVee
INV amendment. You might as Vel
,rv to hang the Mississippi river al
nm a clothes line to dry" as to patel
nm the personal property tax ant
make it just and equitable in its oper
alton. ,.,o =,
One OF the leading authorizes VI
TRIBUNE FOR JOB PRINTING