The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-26
him from being twice elected Presi-
dent of the United States.
FOR LOWER TAXES.

organ holds out the hope for decreased
taxes. 1t goes on to show that the tax
able valuation is increasing sll the
time, and that il will be increased this
year. 1t shows that additional sources
OF revenue are being opened all the
time, among which We may name the
income and corporation taxes, and that
also in the past funds from some OF
these sources "have gone into private
purses; and the revenue will be
"quite a bit greater this year than
last - II argues that with this increased
revenue there should be decrease in
expenses. This, to be sure, Is
not logical sequence; but
still. it is as logical as is TO be expected
from that source. As a rule, citing the
| National Government, for example, the
facts have been that with increased
revenue the expenditures have not de.
creased, but have increased. But, waiv-
| ing that. and waving the further fac:
tha. last year the only decrease in pub
| lie taxation was the decrease made by
the American city administration, we
only the city administration that the
Smoot organ arraigns on this point II
goes on TO show and to give In part,
reasons why the tax rate should be
lowered, but very illogically fails to
apply the same rule to the county and
TO the State. II calls for decreased ex-
penditures in the city, and for les.
scning of the municipal tax rate.
Logically, ono would expect that the
same reasons would be urged for a de-
crease in the county taxation. Not n
note. however, does the Smoot organ
that the county should receive the
benefit of the increased valuation, OF
the Increased revenue. and should use
all the money without any reduction or
abatement in taxation; but the city
should slow down. should reduce taxea,
and decrease expenditures Why this
contrnst7 Why is it expected that the
city alone should relieve the taIpayers9
Why not get relief all along the linca
The city government is in the hands of
five commissioners; the county govern
ment is in the hands OF three commits
sioners. The two forms Of control are
as like as possible and whatever
means of saving .he city commission
ers may have in the municipal affairs,
the county commissioners ought to have
the like opportunities to favor the tax
payers in county affairs. Why does the
Smoot organ make its point against
the city and hold that the county
should inflict the same old tax burden?
II the added revenue from increased
valuation should reduce the city tax
rate, why should it not also reduce the
county tax rateg
When we come to the State taxation,
we find that there is not only no propo-
sition TO reduce the State revenue, but
frantic efforts to increase it. The State
also gets the benefit of the increased
assessed valuation; and specifically il
is getting large sums from the inherit
ance taxes and from the corporation
tax. Here is place where it would
seem that the people might get relief
from the burden of .her tax rate.
Nothing of the kind happens. however;
the State keeps the maximum rate al.
lowed in the constitution applied all
the time 10 the increased and increas.
ing tax valuations, thus getting more
and more revenue without n whisper
or any idea of cutting the tax rate.
On the contrary, there are energetic
20 tt
in the different counties; and the State
Board of Equalization was last year, in
heated controversies with n pumber of
the counties on the question of iucreas-
ing the valuations on various kinds OF
property, with n view of getting more
State taxes, the STATE Board arguing
with much earnestncss and power That
the valuations should he raised. With
those increased valuations, and with
the maximum tax rate applied 10 them,
cf course the State would got, AMI did
get. considerably increased revenue
from direct taxation. 1t got, besides,
very large sums from the inheritance
tax; and the corporation tax is n pro-
life source of treasury supply, The in.
hcritanee tax also is practically new.
because it was allowed to remain in
effect in abeyance until Attorney G en-.
eral Barnes took the question up and
began to make the Inheritance tax Law
effective.
All this shows chat the points under-
taken 10 be made by the Smoot organ
against the city commission are. in
fact. more powerful 10 be directed
against the county commissioners and
against the State administration. The
latter especially has enormous sources
OF revenue. new and yielding very large
sums far above anything hitherto
known And yet, we do not find the
Smoot organ raising even a whisper 10
the effect that the burdens of the
State taxation should be lcsseued; and
although the county commissioners also
benefit by the increased valuations on
the tax roll. we hear nothing from that