The Marshall republican., 1912-09-06

erease consumption ana thereby cur
tails the production and distributes
Of goods. This 10 admitted In main.
talning high tar on liquor. the OBJ.
5ect OF this tax being to discourage
shs consumption sf uluor Do vs
want 10 discourage the consumptiea
OF shoes. clothing. books. food. etc.
II not, why should we. who admit thss
. tax on products discourages con-
sumption, maintain q system Of taxa.
tion that we know produces this ~
sultf
One Of the objections to the aboIi-
tion OF personal property taxation 10
that personal property includes
money and the money Of the rich
should be taxed; that a man might
convert all OF his property into
money and thereby escape taxation.
We forget that the principal object
OF taxation is to raise revenue and
not to punish men In proportion to
the wealth they possess. But aside
from that, why should we tar money!
Money is as necessary to those who
produce or distribute goods as ma.
chinery or raw material. Men In all
walks Of life are continually clamor-
Ing for cheap money, for n lower rate
Of interest. II we tar money. the tax
must be added to the price we must
pay for the use Of money, just 40 q
tAx on goods In added TO the price
we pay for goods. The ruling rate
OF Interest In Missouri Is six per cent.
II We Increased the tar ON money
whether we were able to collect II
or nop two per cent. the ratio OF Tn
terest would be raised To eight per
cent. and II the state prohibited the
collection Of eight per csas, money
would leave the state. II on the
other hand money was untaxed the
rate OF interest In Missouri would do
crease proportionateiy. Would not
that be good thing for all the people
OF Missouri With cheaper money
there would be greater investment In
industry OF all kinds, . consequent
Increase In the employment of labor
and greater demand for the products
OF the farmer and manufacturer.
But IL We abolish personal property
for public expsnsssf
The TAI amendments To be voted
upon In Missouri on November eth
provide the way. They cell for the
abolition Of NIL taxes on personal
property and the exemption Of In
provemenis to the amount OF 5000
In 1914. and beginning with 1914 the
exemption OF tSsn, - We per cent Of
the value OF all improvements every
two years until improvements are en-
tireiy exempt. leaving but two things
upon which taxes may be imposed
land and fraschjss values.
SO long as We maintain a general
property tar great inequality In. a.
ssssments will occur In spite OF any
laws that may be enacted
But II We reduce the collection OF
taxes to land and franchise values
these inequalities will disappear. The
powers tnat be must collect the proper
tar from both corporate privileges and
land values.
WV haS RstntALeA oWnNte VI tsna
values In Missouri are not farmers or
sma1 home owners. but the owners
Of valuable sites In eenters Of cities.
Such sites In 81. Louis are valued at
over S4.ooo.ooo per acre. There are
81 counties In Missouri In which the
total value Of all farms In tho county
does not exceed this sum. The prin-
cipai owners OF land values are inau-
eptial business men and these men.
with or without the cooperation OF
small owners. would see TO Il that
mere was no inequality Of sssess-
ment.
II these amendments are adopted
the question Of taxation would b ST.
tied In Missouri for all time. All would
then contribute to public revenues In
proportion To the privileges they ss-
joyed. The man who owned no land
would pay his tar in the rent he
paid. the landlord paying his tax out
Of rent money received.