The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-02
NO RErKESENTATlo WITHOUT
TAXATION.

Alabama lands have doubled IN value
in the last ten years: but they are not
SO assessed for taxation. For example.
the total assessment of all real estate
in town and country in 1900 amounted
to sl5s,Syo,oOo. In 1910, real estate in
the towns was assessed at Sl34,l53, 600.
The Montgomery Advertiser explains.
This is only $15,0o0,000 less than
the assessed value of every foot OF
country land in this State, including
the rich mineral deposits in the Goa!
and iron regions OF the State. The
seven counties CT Calhoun. Dallas. JEFF
ferson. Mobile, Montgomery, Tusca-
ioosa and Walker are taxed upon a
valuation OF county land at SIS. 500. 600,
which is onefourth the value now
placed upon all the county lands of
the State. The same seven counties
pay upon town property on a valuation
Of ssS 1000. 900. which is two-thirds that
paid on the entire town property of
the State"
1t is the same way in Virginia. n
few counties and communities bear the
bulk of the burden. 1t was for the
purpose OF equalizing the tax burdens
Of this State that the Tax Commission
was created at the last session Of the
General Assembly. and this Commits
sioa has since been diligently at work
sry.zg TO unravel the tangled skein OF
~ isx laws, with what result their
-t2a-t 20 the Legislature at rs ap-
s:aseA:=g session will develop. That
tAt-t are great inequalities cannot be
e~es::oaed; that these inequalities are
e ,ozs standing. no one can deny;
iha; they should be removed, all Will
agree. These inequalities run through
the entire list OF taxable property.
In his address TO the Virginia Press
Association at it's recent meeting, DR..
Douglas Freeman said upon this point:
Real estate, the Commonwealth
through. is assessed at IL per cent. OF
its real value: personal property at
about 35 per cent. stocks and bonds
and all intangible property is assessed
at Its full market value. The man
VINO owns horse pays on about 35
C,
taxing the State as whole. II he
sell the horse and loan the money, he
is expected to pay on 100 per cent.
II he sell the bond and buy land. he
pays on 81 per cent The inequality IS
manifest" 1t is manifest In many
things and in many ways Wagons
are worth but SIS in Franklin; one
farmer has total personal property as
sessed at but $3.50. including two
horses; thirty-six taxpayers In Gray
son have but 500 worth OF personal
property; pianos in Craig are worth
Slo' horses in Grayson. in Mathews
and elsewhere are worth. SIS; a hotel
and two acres OF land is assessed at
sl7; a village OF about six houses and
factories doessh not exist. according 70
the land books; three lots, with two
brick stores. in a busting county town.
are worth, think, $50 to the State;
one Of the richest citizens of the Com
monwealth reports but about per
cent of his stocks and bonds" These
Inequalities run through all objects of
taxation.
The only taxable property in the
State that bears its fair share. and
more than It's fair share, of the com.
mon burden Is the property that can.+
get away and can't be covered up and
that is nailed down. The American
Idea is that there shall be no taxation
without representation. Would II no,
be q fair stand-off 10 this propsition
that there shall be no representation
without taxation? II II is fair one
way it ought to be fair the other
There should be leveling up of the
tax rates II there IS to be equal ronre.
sentation in the affairs OF the Govern
ment Manifestly, II Is not fair to re-
1uire seven counties in Alabama TO nav
two-thirds OF the taxes paid by me
towns Of that State. and the same
seven counties TO be assessed ON ,h.i,
county iands one-fourth OF the amour,
OF The assessment on all the county
lands In the State We don't care how
they are shared, so that thev ar,
shared even; but we protest that .
few counties and few communities Fl
the State should not be compelled Il
near more than their proportiona,.
snare Of the load of taxation, whn,
the rest of the counties and commun,
ues are escaping from precisely N,
same method Of assessment and taxa
ton.
---=-=--======