Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-10

the time is most opportuns for cam
/ paigI in the interest OF the elimina ton
Of commissions, looking to curtallment
l Of public expenditures. The question Of
taxation is an economic problem and
I every citizen iE interested In correct
and equitable valuatl Of property but
I the only absolute guaranty Of q reduc-
l ton Of the tax burden 10 curtailment OF
I expenditures and extravaganza and the
only positive way OF curtsili-g expendi
lures Is by absolute limitation. First.
/ on valuation for taxation; second, o.
the tax rate, and third. on the borrowing
power Without such Limitation no coll
stitutiOnsl revision whatsoever. however
well intended viii remedy the situation
REMOVE CAUSE
TO CURE MALADY.
! The advocates OF change in our
/ constitution are saying, let us face con-
/ ditions IS they exist which are working
great Injustice upon the citizens Of our
/ State We charge that no malady was
/ ever cured By applying remedies until
I the cause was removed. The defenders
OF the proposed amendments are saving
I that the remedy for the present tax sit
/ uation Is q Classification OF property
giving no thought to the cause OF the sit
( uagion. They are heTalding 20 the public
1 that the only object to be attained Is the
| classification Of property for the purpose
/ OF taxation. If that be true and that be
I all that = desired, why strike from the
constitution all other legislative restric-
tionsf Why was not the amendment as
originally drafted submitted to the
/ people for their considerations said
original draft reads as follows,
/ '- The General Assembly shall pro-
( vide by law for the assessment of
| property for taxation and the raising
/ Of revenue thereby, and shall pre-
scribe such regulations as shall Sc
cure a Just valuation for taxation Of
| all property both real and personal,
inc g,Nr mn 10 nal
! educational literary, scientific. religi
Gus or charitable purposes, as ma
be especially exempted by law. In
thus enscting laws for the assess
: ment Of property for taxation, the
General Assembly shall have power
to classify the several kinds Of prop
/ erty subject to taxation and to levy
| a tax on each class of property at
| such rate as il may deem wise and
1 equitable without regard to the rate
/ applied TO other classes of property.
but all taxes shall be uniform upon
the same class Of subjects, within
the territorial limits Of the authority
levying the tax"
WHY WASN'T
DRAFT SCBAIITTED9
Again,< we ask if classification is the
paramount reason for this amendment
why was not the foregoing draft sub
nlitted TO the public? 1t most ade-
quately provides for classification in
the most unambtguOus language. yet
provides ample Legislative restrlc-
tons. This draft was submitted and
resuLmtted ~ different groups OF men
ana finally to the Legislature all IF
whom hittled and whitfield and Whitfield
Il down until Il has become most dan
Gerously thin, thin in fact that it may
be piled IN any direction. IL consists
OF little more than one line, reading as
The General Assembly shall pro-
vide by law fors a system OF taxa
ton.
Under the authority granted therein.
there is no limit to the property that
may be exempted. there is no limit to the
rate that may be apple ed and under its
provision q radical Legislature could and
might enact the single tax law and there
by place the whole bHrden Of tax on real
estate OF upon any other one class OF
property. The advocates of these amend
ments do not deny these possibilities. in
fact they say in their published pam
phlet on these amendments that
The proposed amendments will re-
move all restrictions on the power Of
the Legislature over taxation. Ac
cOrdingly, Jaws could be rassed ina
posing 4 tax on any kind OF prop
erty, services. lights, privileges. fran
chises or incomes: the rate of taxa
ton on one kind o. property could be
fixed higher or lower than on an
other; different kinds Of property
could be assessed az different values
aud all kinus of property could be
subjected 10 taxation or the list or
exempted property could be extended
to include more than it does now
SEEK TO SADDLE
LOBBY on PUBLIC.
By their own admissions the adhcrents
to the proposed amendments are prepar-
ing to saddle ON to our future Legisla-
lures the most sinister lobby that ever
cursed a commonwealth. while throwi z
70 the four winds the timS homo ID
principle that certainly is a prime re-
quirement in taxation.
your committee wishes to so on
record as in no way opposing a just and
equitable Classification Of property for
tie purpose Of taxation, put ii likewise
wishes to 20 on record as unalterably
opposed TO the proposed amendments
shorn Of all legislative restrictions SIS
a means Of securing such a property
classification. We have listened to a
number OF discussions and have been
| presented with some able briefs rela tive
10 the power OF the Legisla ture to elias
sify property under our present consti-
tuition. This power has been recognized
BY the legislative body in numerous iu-
stances and the classification so made
upheld by our supreme Court bat that
classification Gay went 10 the power TO
assas or rather the power TO secure
valistion. which Is in effect only martial
classification. To have complete classic
ca t&pn, the assessing unit must have
Epo II r to classify as TO assessments and
As "a rates The latter of which IS ex-