The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-05
THE TAX PROBLEM.
A situation Requiring Honest and In
telIiwcnt Treatm ent

A situation Recurring Honest and In
..u,. r...
"e'"'
no THE EplToR or Tur Sun ST. In
IN. Language OF President Cleveland,
we arc now faced not with theory
but with IL condition in tax matters No
citizen liable to taxation I'm any form.
whether by his actual check to the re-
ceiyrr of taxes or concealed In the price
he nays for butter and eggs. can afford
to be Indifferent to the present situation,
for IL too many Of us are unmlndful of
IL, we are all certain to suffer
The fact il that the cost OF govern
ment has Increased much more rapidly
than the increase I'm population or In
wealth. This may be due in part to
extravaganza II IL also due to the
widening in public activities
Hitherto, aside from special sources
of taxation. the tax has been levied in
New York state in large measure upon
real estate. and In much smaller amount
upon personal property in general. Al
though the personal property Is cstl-
mated largely TO exceed the real estate.
and the tax rate on zach was the same.
30 much OF the personal property has
always ESCAPED taxation that the main
dependence of the state has been upon
the real estate tax.
The urgency for immediate action At
the present time 10 due to the fact that
the real estate tax has increased to a
point where the maximum Is being taken
by the State From now on any in
CREASE In the tax rate will not bring in
any additional money. but rather less.
and the attempt to collect more will
merely depreciate tho value OF the prop
erty in the hands Of its owner.
II becomes therefore vitality impor-
tant to inquire a. to what tho present
situation II With regard to tho taxing
OF personal property and a. to what II
ought to be
Tho personal property tax IN one Of
long standing, IL Is admitted on all
hands to be n farce Where II Ia not
a farce Il IL a eross Injustice Tho
proyision attempting debts has proved to
be an almost universal avenue OF e.
cane for those who might otherwise be
liable to it, provisions. II has even
been suRrested that the payment Of a
personal property tax might be taken
as an syidenoe of inferior mentality.
Not the slightest opprobrium attaches
70 the stdeatADpins OF tho tax by the
taxpayor
Ths reason AR Snis n easily apparent,
In thai the amount Of che tax IL so
heavy that II Il ware Pisidly enforced
many kinda Of property could not be
eafeiy held within the limits of the
| aeourtties an railroad honda BEARING. for
example. 4 Der cant interest, Prior 70
d. eonurad dShH iAv then were liable
| "a n tan which mint run I'D to over
| one-half Of the total income. vet 40 few
| ~ fhem vsr> ever taxed MAT their price
| ON the market was on the basis Of all
| Of theYn escap,ne taxation entirely
There are other classes OF personal
nroperty an for example household
|
use and which bring in no income, and
upon which a large annual tax might
we'll seem n hardshin
| Whether ina State IN its a,,bdivt .iona
ran econoui,s 70 a considernhle derree
In the EXPENSE Of administration Is an
| othAr question hut that n reasona BILE
way OF obtaining tho necessary money
for administration must be speedily
| found IA tia suhtect Of irnuediata in
| terest or Al least II should be a sub
tect OF Immediate interest to every re-
! snons,hle cit,zen Of cha State
+. II would seen tina. ono pa rtlal aolu-
ton ~ tho d,ty,cu,,v would Ia n sul.a hl o
! low annual tax at n fxed rate upon Sc
ourities actually returning income to the
ovner. an exempt,on of personal effects.
hou..ho,d f,,rn,,ur. u,h,rh MAYER re.ur,s
any income and n low rate upon goods.
wares and merchardise. which the
gunner could afford 70 nav
II seams reasonable 10 bailey. that
most man would be willing 10 nav their
fair proportton OF the cost OF govern
ment. and that a reasonable tax along
these lines would be accented in n rea-
| sonable sp,r,t and pryve to he capable
| Of collection without ,noulsitorial ma
| culinary ar any ren,o,e res. -nhlarrA IN
the absurd proyision, OF tho Federal IN
come tax law
A fairly large proportion OF our ci,,.
Gems would be rather pleased than other.
wise 10 feel thar they paid their pro.