The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-30

I'm hank q 1 Per can't ana paid the
State Of virginia 4 tax Of 1910 on the
cash. and on the per cent income
from his cash ne paid $3.50 taxes.
Then upon his mortgage Of $4,000
he. paid the mortgage tax Of $3.50.
The State thus received an aggregate
LOT S1,12c.30 in one year on a piece
of land that had previously only paid
81 small annual land tax. The man
who sold the property had three taxes
to pay, while the man who brought It
paid one, thus making q duadruple tax
whore only one existed before. II this
| IL not detrimental and deterrent to the
Improvement OF the state. what fsy
The Exchanges Resolutions
The whole subject was concreteiy
embodied In tho action OF the Real
Estate exchange on February IL,
Isis. when they adopted the follow
Ing resolutions:
mortgage tax as now In force In this
state is a double taxation lind Is
driving money out OF this State that
otherwise would be in circulation
here: that the law works d hardship
upon all the people, and is matter
that especially and seriously Affects
the farmer in that II makes Il almost
iHpOGS1Qk9 sIuf 10 0oI1OW aAphEJ
and also the working man. who H.
endeavoring to secure his home. we
feel that legislation on the question
of the real estate mortgage tax should
have the support of everyone in this
State.
'It Is n hardship upon the builders
and contractors In that II IL difficult
for them 10 secure loans at the legal
rate OF interest to carry on their
business. thereby curtailing the growth
Of taxable valucs
"It also works a hardship upon our
financial institutions as Il is an alb
sclute fact that millions OF dollars
were sent out OF the State previous
TO the tax return period
TT In tending to deprave and les
sen the morals OF the people In their
attempts to evade payment Of the
same by Illegal and questionable
methods which have recently been re-
ferred to by several OF the grand
3urier as leading almost to prejury
ITSELF"
And whereas It has been proven
by a large number Of progressive
States such as New York, Mnssachus-
etts. New Jersey. Maryland Florida.
Nebraska and many others which
could be named. who have long since
modified their laws and enacted new
laws now In force, that the revenues
OF the States have been largely in
creased by such amendments and the
burden OF taxation eqnalized and made
less burdensome. land lessened the
tendency OF the people TO stulify them
selves In their attempts to evade the
same; be II resolved:
First. That IL Is the sense Of this
exchange that the people and State
would be very largely benefited and
many evils removed by q proper
amendment to the mortgage tax law
Of this State
Will lend our assistance to the adop-
ton OF laws similar to those now in
force in the State aforementioned
besides many others--which In sub
stance 10 single tax OF one-haH of
one per cent upon the amount of each
and every mortgage, coiiectible only
once and upon the recordatton Of the
instrument securing the same. and
20 be the only tax on and during the
lie OF the said mortgage.
Third. That we recognize the gem
crosby or the press In already having
given much of its space to this sub
Ject and request a continuance of
their aid and influence In prornulrat
ing the evils of the law as II now
lists. ana the benefits to all the
people OF this State by the adoption
OF the amendment suggested.
Fourth. That a cony ~ IVES.
resolutions be furnished to the ,ress.
20 ali real estate exchanges In the
various cities. and to every licensed
real estate agent. and to all financial
institutions, with the request that thev
Cooperate with us I'm the effort to have
the mortgage tax law amended at the
next session of the Legislature.
Fhat pamphlet or circular be
IA swzsr y -
present law RS now In force, and the
benefits to be derived from the pro-
posed amendment: which pamphlet
De as widely distributed and circulated
as possible especially to county super
visors throughout the State, members
OF the legislature and prospective can
didates to that body, and to all or
ganfzed bodies such as farmers con-
Vehlons. educational conventions. ETC.
The Grand Jury Reports.
The Alexandria grand Jury was the
nrst official body TO put itself on record
In condemnation of the provisions OF
our taxfaw That Jury rightfullv
claims that the mortgage law In
double taxation" and that IL is tiriy-
Ing capital out OF the State. The Jury
closed Its report. the flrst presented
to the auditor, by requesting its sena-
tor and legislators and auditor to sup
P14A u Dah ktihhaAE the desired EEHnge.
In the same way the grand fury
from Henrico county, the second Jury
to report. had the courage to state Its
convictions, and reported In part as
follows.
1T would be difficult to get people
to pay taxes when levied under such
laws that revoke all public sense OF
fairness and equity No law can ex-
ist that does not rest upon sound
morals and equal fairness, and the
tax laws OF Virginia act harshly and
unfairly" They declare this is
double taxation. and close their re-
port by saying that to undertake to
enforce such laws Increases the ten
dency to evade the payment OF taxes
by almost del herate perjury. II
A Richmond paper. in commenting
on this report, said hat the present
tax laws fall to have behind them the
driving power Of popular opinion, and
that as long as the people believe
them to be unjust they will be in
ef1cient." Another Richmond paper
sald that 1t was beyond tho scope
az human f,nver In Saarch arft and