The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1920-10-29

to be provided fer. Governor Rob
erts proceeded at once to make pro
visions for covering the annual de
felt instead of borrowing more mon
ey and increasing the State debt. Sc
he began to cut down the expenses Of
the administration, cutting off use
less officers and introducing a fee
system for the insurance and other
departments of tee State, accom-
plishing task that had not before
been undertaken, and to make pro-
visions for the future he asked for
the passage of the assessment laws.
| In these assessment laws the express
companies, the Pullman company,
the packing companies and 9th or
corporations which are doing bust
ness in the State and which were not
paying a cent of revenue to the State
were assessed fc2 their proportion of
State taxes. This muchwas a clean
saving to the real estate and land
owners of the State. The cost of
running the State is $5,500,0 900
and this is an increase brought by
the war and high prices which are
reflected in taxation, the Governor
stating that it was condition for
which he was not at all responsible,
but for which the new assessment
was intended to meet as near as pos
sible; and by this new assessment
law the administration was successful
in the face of these things to
hold down the taxes of the small
real estate and land owner to nearly
the level of the taxes under the old
system.
In other words the Democratic ad-
ministration is trying to compel ey-
cry county to pay its just proportion
of the taxes, and in thus doing to
meet the increased demand for rev.
enues by raising lie levy n
the counties which are not paying
their proportion of taxes. This is
what has created storm from Shell
by and other centers where the larg-
est taxpayers are located.
The Governor quoted one county
in East Tennessee which was actual
ly paying less taxes than it receives
from the State for schools and roads.
Says the Governor, is there any
other plan of taxation which will
meet the present demands? None
has been offered. Mr.. Taylor pro-
poses to raise taxes by assessing the
earnings and not by property assess
ments. This system would exempt
the idle and indolent and force the
producer to pay all the taxes. Two
farms, equal in value, one of which
is cultivated and the ether allowed
to remain untitled, would be taxed
in violation of the constitution and
the Supreme Court would declare the
law null and of no effect. Why?
Because the man who owned the idle
farm would pay no tax and the one
who made crop would pay the tax
for both. Therefore the inequality |
and futility of such a plan.
Governor Roberts says he is simp- |
ly trying to save the credit of the
State and to protect the honest tax
payer. Every debt on the State is a
lien on your farm and home, and ev-
cry time these debts are increased
your property is mortgaged for that
much more. So is it best to go to the
people for more revenue or to in
crease these debts? Is it best to re-
luire the large taxpayer to pay his
lust proportion or to allow him to es-
cape taxation and these debts to in
crease?
81 had rather serve the people hon
sstly and do my duty than to stay in
public office" The Governor was
much in earnest and continued by
aging that he would rather accom-
,lish something to the credit of his
people and of his State than to serve
special interests in public office.
So, the Governor is giving the peo-
,le an assessment law that is pro-
ection to the small taxpayer and the
mall county. He is doing his whole
luty and the criticism that is made
Upon his administration is unjust
md unwarranted. He is actually be-
ng bounded by capital and corporate
interests which are almost invariably
,laying false to the State in the ex-
,rcise of citizenship. 1t is a misfor-
une indeed but truth nevertheless
hat large interests will not pay their
equal tribute to the State If they can
lelp it, tho they enjoy all the advan-
age in legislation and derive the
ions share of public benefits.
This is the burden of the fight
.gainst Governor Roberts, and If this
s the stamp of true democracy then
nov dapocracv narish For us we