Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-27
The Tax Equaliz alton Law.

Our friends who would repeal the Tax Equah-
zation law on the ground that II is not as Iar UT
effective as il ought TO be remindful OF Charles
Lambs artIess hero who would burn down MS
house whenever he wanted to roast pig lhelr
theory il consistently carried out. soon would strlp
us of all laws and of the Constitution ITSELF LOT we
have vet TO see the CODE outside of the Decalogue
that is not subject revision soon or late. why
not follow the regular course and amend the Tax
FouaIization act to make il fairer and more Ell
fectiye instead of attempting blot out all its VIZ
tues merely because of a weakness here and there'
II cannot be denied that this law. whatever It's
defects represents a substantial Improvement !"
the States fiscal system and is resulting In STEADY
betterment OF the States financial conditlon' Oh
this point the record itself speaks irreIutaOS'
Since 1913 when the law was enacted, tax returns
have increased approximately one hundred mllhon
dollars and thus far in the current with only
half the counties and none of the big counties yet
heard from. the increase amounts to upwards OF
nine million dollars. Shall the gains thus accrulng
Tn the States revenue grievOusy needed as they
are be abruptly cut of and the wolf that so often
has howed at the treasury door be invited TO come
in and take possession? When the impoverishment
or bankruptcy which their mistaken policy Involves
comes to pass how will the advocates OF Tax
Equalization repeal answer the school teachers ana
the Confederate veterans and the public whose
vital interests are bound up IN the oIate hS'i'"
tions?
The millions which have been added and are
being added to tax values through the present law
represent no burden upon taxpayers. On the con-
trary the basic principle and the inevitable result
of fair equalization of taxes is to tighten the
burden which the average citizen bears. When
every man pays his just part of the cost OF gov
erpment the great majority will pay less and fare
better And when il is once understood that men
shall deal as honestly with the State as with one
another there will be no perpexities and few com
pIaints concerning taxes. But when the conscien-
tious citizen sees his unconscientous neighbor year
after year returning property at the ratio OF fifty
cents to thousand dollars he begins to doubt that
TIE pure in heart are blessed and that the meek
shall inherit the earth. Thus it is that
the meek shall inherit the earth. Thus 1t is that
lack of fair equalization makes two delinquent tax
payers grow where only one grew before.
Since the tax equalization act went into enect
,bs voluntary tax returns have increased steadily
from wear TO year showing that the people appre-
ciate more and more the spirit and purpose OF the
law In some instances. of course, 1T still en-
counters misunderstanding ard prejudice and We
bemept opposition, as most laws do. But the rank
and file of citizens as far as gather, feel
that tax equalization is to their interest, their
county's interest their States interest. and that
while the existing law should be strengthened so
as to uncover a larger portion of invisible property
IL should not and in and justice cannot, be
repealed.