Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1917-02-10
THOUGHTS ON TAXATION.

The question of taxation is the
most vital issue before the law'making
bodies Of the country as well as ths
people as a whole, at the present
time. Through taxation all the wheels
Of government are kept moving, the
salaries of all public officials are
paid, public improvements Of all kinds
made, appropriations for every pur'
nose taken care Of, as well as thou
sand and one other expenses arising
through the various functions OF gov
eminent. The all-appalling question
is, how long can taxation continue to
be piled up without going beyond the
ability of the taxpayers to meet the
increasing demands? In other words,
how long before the back Of old Jones
will snap under the mountainous bur-
den? The following from the Dallas
Democrat is timely and worthy OF
serious considerations:
"The question Of just and equitable
taxation is always paramount In the
experience Of individuals and in the
history Of states and nations.
1T is a question always pressing for
answer and never answered.
1T has challenged the wisdom Of
lawmakers in every age.
1T is q question that probably will
never be fully answered, problem
whose correct solution has baffled
statesmen and statesmenship.
1T is a function Of governmental
sovereignty essential, imperative. yet
the most dangerous power with which
human government is clothed and
about and around II have been fought
all the great battles of human lib
erty.
while no perfect system OF taxa
tion has ever been devised, Legislators
should not be discouraged or deferred
from striving to make q tax law that
will be as equitable as possible In its
provisions and as Just as possible tt
all in its burdens.
ITO this end II should above al
things be specially framed to encour
age home-ownership and to discour
age tenancy.
THE property Of the poor maj
should not be assessed more nearly a
its full value than that OF the ricl
man. Under the usual methods. tn,
man Of small means pays proportion
ately more taxes than his neighbor O
wealth. What the poor man has 4
always In sight and Il cannot escap,
taxation, while the rich mans pror
erty is often invisible. being In notes
money, mortgages. bonds. etc. Al
these forms OF property should bea
their part of the burden OF taxation
To reach them they might be regis
tered in the county records and coui
be made non-collectible at law unles
SO registered.
THE law should forbid large hole
ings to be rendered at lower rate tina
small holdings. though under prevail
Ing methods the reverse Is the rule.
The homestead OF every man. ric
or poor. to the extent OF one or tw
thousand dollars, should be exemI
from taxation. and the new governc
OF North Carolina recommends thu
all mortgages on the homestead B
exempted. This should tend 10 low,
the rate OF interest.
He further recommends that u
crop lien be taxed out OF existcnc
for II Is the curse OF Southern agr
culture and the prolific source Of to
antry.
Incomes and franchises Of val,
should help bear the burden OF 70
eminent.
The foregoing are few Of the 7
forms that are at least worthy
thought by the solons who make o,
laws.
The Democrat ia not championi,
them or any Of them-it merely see,
to awaken thought on the great ~
tect OF Just methods OF taxation a,
to invite discussion In the hope tina,
- better system than the present o
may be evolved-a system that "
tighten the peoples taxes by me
equitably distributing the burden"