Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-06-03
TALKS MADE
BY CITIZENS
AT a Hearing By the Ken
lucky Tax Commits
sion.
MAYOR MAYOR y0ST PRESIDED
Opening Address Was Made
By Geo. E. Gary---0ther
Speakers.
MAYOR yer Y0ST PRESIDED

The Kentucky Tax Commission,
composed of Senators Huffaker, Pick
EFT, Glenn and Brock and Represen-
tatives Hutchcraft, Gardner and DIV
er held a session here Thursday after
noon to confer with business men.
The meeting was at the i, B. M.
A. and Mayor Frank Yost presided
and introduced Geo. E. Gary as the
principal speaker.
After expressing his qualification at
the presence of the Commission and
the plan for forming tax law, Mr..
Gary got down to bases at once and
spoke in part as follows:
"Our present tax rate would, if all
property was fully reported, suffice
for five times the requirements of the
state. The tax should be lowered in
stead of raised, SO that when listing
his property the taxpayer would not
feel that it was practical con6scation.
AS the rate now is, it puts a penalty
on honesty and premium on per-
jury.
Massachusetts, taxes savings de-
posts 25c on the $4,000. Kentucky
50. so on the $4,000. Their capital is
growing by leaps and bounds. Ours
is dwindling constantly.
Pennsylvania revenue from taxa
ton for 1911 was 80 millions, ours
only 7 millions.
Bank statements that year showed
1870 millions on deposits and only l9
millions were reported by the tax
payers. Kentuckians are not less
honest than those of other states.
They are up againsta foolish law, I'M
der which they think they could not
thrive upon an honest report Of their
property. Lower the rate and they
will respond. Capital is being driven
out ofthe state. Farmers are the bag
holders. Their lands are visible, and
are taxed twice. Once on land and
again on loans on the land. Get away
from the old uniform rate idea. Tax
some things high and some low, and
in forming a law have always in view
the idea of increasing new capital.
That's what we need, more money
in this state.
AT the rate OF its being considered
beside the mark and beyond the pole
Of the Commission, he said that oul
greatest trouble in Kentucky was
fundamental. We would never be {
wealthy state without more manufac
lures; and the years of observation
and experience as manufacturer lee
him invitably to the conclusion tina
no factory could flourish in any STATE
where the incoming and outgoing
rates were over double what they
are in the states just across the Ohio
river.
Kentucky, Tennessee, the Virginia'
and Carolinas, and all the Southern
states all groan under this burden o.
rate discrimination and have done 81
since the war, Notwithstanding the
fact that nine-tenths of the nayigablC
streams of the U. S. are South of the
Ohio river. The roads will not for
ward river freight.
With a Southern President, anC
with Southern mon as leaders in thu
Senate and House, it would seem tina
some relief in this direction should b,
counted upon. More factories means
more capital and smaller tax rates
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, have
low tax rates and unlimited capital
Kentucky with great coal and timber
wealth has practically no manufac
lures. The railroad rates are the un
derlying, prohibitory feature.
Other speakers were w. T. Tandy
John II. Bell, Frank Rives, M. c
Forbes and j. o. Cook.