The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-10-27
HEAVY
Loss Sustained To The
Treasury Of Ohio
Blythe Old System OF Re.
turns For Taxation Y
Corrected By The Plan Under
The New Law
And The Limitation OF Rate
To One Per Cent
lessons The Burden On The
General Taxpayer

Columbus, o., Oct 24-After he
laid the foundation for equal taxation
by obtaining laws reducing extrava
gance by limiting expenditures of pub
lic money and stopping excessive tax
rates by limiting the maximum levy
Gov. Harmon, through his rate limita
tain law whereby the millions of cor.
ipOrate and personal property that had
been escaping taxation could be placed
'on the duplicate.
Before the present state admins
tration the average tax rate through
out Ohio had been per cent, but
Gov. Harmon through his rate limita
ton bill, reduced the average rate to
about 9 mills-or fraction less than
'one per cent. The executive realized
there would not be sufficient money
for governmental expenses in the
state, counties, municipalities and
townships under the low rate, unless
the tax duplicates were increased suf
fciently TO provide as much under the
low rate as was produced under the
nigh rate and low duplicate.
There were laws imposing special
taxes on corporations, but the enforce
nent of them was left to state officers
who were kept busy with other duties
and there were no uniform or consist
ent efforts to collect. Thousands OF
dollars were lost to the common
wealth each year as u result.
Assessors elected by the people val
ned private property, and they favored
qhe powerful interests for the votes
they controlled by assessing their
,property at inadequate figures. Coun
"ty auditors assessed railroads. Some
of them influenced by passes and din
2ners from these corporations made
'low valuations. When the people com
plained Of the low valuations, some
auditors would meet and raise the
valuation OF a railroad several thcus
and dollars, and then would apportiou
the increase to the districts having
Siow rates SO that In the aggregate the
road would not pay any more. taxes
despite the announced increase In
valuation. Statistics have been pro
Nduced by Ohio taxing ofiicials chow
tions, while real estate owners paid
an average tax Of three per ceat In
1910, the railroads paid an average ol
but 255 per cent,
Other corporations made he,r re
turns direct to county auditors and the
valuations placed upon their owr
properties by officers OF corporations
sapere seldom questioned The basis
taT Naluing private property varied In
ooin,ties. In some It waa appraised n
,g5 ptg' cent, In some Al 40 pT cent
Sand from that up 10 1h per ceut
rinius1lce has long been done y
Detwean owners Of the sume class o
properry. and stilI more M hetWcer
owners Of different classes OF prupor
ty, said Gov Harmon n opepin8 hii
dght for his tax reform two years ago
This Is caused by departing from th'
plain and just command Of the consli
Gution that all property Of overy kint
shall be taxed by uniform rule nc
sscording to It's true value In money
THE constitution puints out the on
9y road TO fairness Tho amount ita
sessed against each tax payer. thouEi
important to him. ~ noi enough Il
Justify individual action ~ his own be
half, even II he bad or could prucu z
the necessary skill ana opportunity q
present his clams Corporations Al,
other large concerns are not md q
thiE disadvantage 80 ordinary VI
payers have always had the worst o
II, and always will when taxation Il
rLreated as a contest TO cvade or ahif
san unwelcome burden. Instead Of TN
iDatiotic cooperation df citiZenH I,
support, each according 20 hiS me,IIH
srhe government e6tahl shed and con
sdurtsu by themselves for their equ
hOeneii-. II IL another instance Of Uh
HnniverH& experience that IA atrufa,ls
&fsSrfspeciai advantages those get thea
who need them least. whie the other
are made TO pay for them, The reguit
of vaiuing otherwtae lhan bg the rni
ordained by the constitution have nq
been happy with respect 10 reai c.
tate. especially fanss sad Wdin W