The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-03-26
REVISION OF TAX LAWS Is
ADVOCATED BY COBLENTZ
Frederick County Senator Is De-
voting Much Time To Study of
Plan to Remedy Existing Evils
SEEMS FITTED FOR WORK

| llS SOIlC0POIuCllL VI IS ISCPQDllSdA
At all times, in all lands and under
all systems of government whether
democratic, absolute monarchy, con-
stitutional, parliamentary or purely
and unrestrained despotic, the ques-
ton of revenue and taxes has been the
most difficult to solve and the most
complicated, not only to the ruling
powers but also to all the people
merchants, manufacturers, farmers or
professional men-in all the varied
walks of life.
Political economists beginning with
Adam Smith, the great Scotch philos-
opher, who more than century ago
published his great work which he
called "The Wealth of Nations" which
systematized all that was known of po-
litical economy at that time, led the
way for a scientific study of the SUBJ
ject, which has we'll been named the
"dismal SCIENCE" and even now the
great work of Adam Smith is the basis
of the large number of studies of this
dismal science which has been taken
up and deliberately treated by philos-
ophers and statesmen in every civil
lied country in the world. Controver-
sizes have arisen over the subject and
hardly have there ever been found
more than two or three writers who
have even partly agreed as to the
best and fairest methods to frame
laws regulating the collection of rev.
enue from taxation for the support of
government, whether local or nation
al, in all the multitudinous needs
brought on by the complicated necessi-
ties of the present day civilization.
Philosophical students of political
economy in the universities Of the
world have devoted large part of
their lives during the last century to
the questions, both old and new, which
face the governments of the present
day. Rules and regulations which
WSIS SlSCIlNS, SNSH III q IAAliOl oC-
gree, are no longer suited to the pres
ent conditions of life. Systems of
raising public revenues suited to the
past generations are not now justly
applicable, and methods of taxation
which were just and fair in their OPP
Grafton even a quarter of a century
ago, are no longer equitable, and po-
litical theories which were true in
their time have become false and glar-
ingly unjust, and as the great Ger
man historian and philosopher, DR..
Theodor Mommson said fifty years
ago in his history of Rome, Religious
PHILOSOPHERS, Rules of Government"
which were true irtheir day and age,
may become false, as times change
and people change with them, and so
become obstacles to the advancement
Of civilization"
Realizing all of this, Mr.. Emory l..
Coblentz, Senator from Frederick
county, whose experience has led him
to see the defects of the present sys-
tenn in Maryland, has taken up the
matter and is devoting a large part of
his time to discover a plan which will
enable the lawmakers of the State, at
a future session of the General As
sembly, to provide a remedy for the
existing evils.
He is admirably qualified for the
work he has undertaken. His exper-
fence has brought him in contact with
every class of people, with every kind
of public affairs, not only in the pure
ly agricultural sections, but in the
business and financial world. AS a
banker as we'll as successful lawyer,
his work has been spread over the
State and has also extended to the
metropolitan cities of the country. His
connection with public and political
life has been varied and successful,
not only in purely local matters, but
also in matters affecting the State
and nation. It is not exaggeration to
say that no man in Maryland has a
more thorough knowledge of the peo-
pie of the commonwealth, not only in
the counties, but also in the cities and
towns, of their views on public mat
tiers, their ideals and desires in life,
their methods of living, their local in
terests, than this remarkable product
of Middletown Valley.
He is especially fitted for this ar
duous task, not only because of the
knowledge he possesses of the necessi-
ties of these peculiar times, but be-
cause he is now in the prime of life
and in vigorous health and full of
hope for the future. He is an optimist
and is an exemplifcation of that not
widely known but particularly appli-
cable verse in one of Matthew Ar
nold's poems: "Life without hope
draws nectar in seive, and life with
out an object cannot live" Mr.. Cob
lentz is always hopeful. His life has
been based on hope.
| Mr.. Coblentz has an object in all
that he does and he never loses sight