I j&port of the Legislative Committee of the Pennsylvania State Grange, on the Tax Bill. TO THE TEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA : The legislative Committee beg leave to report as to matters which they have been directed to consider and the information they were desired to collect on the question of taxation in the State. They should say that after the de feat of the tax bill prepared by them in accordance with the instructions and wishes of the State Grange, the whole subject of taxation has been carefully and laboriously investigated by the commission appointed by reso lution of the legislators. The various leading interests of the State were specially represented in the membership of this commission, and all were given a hearing and due con sideration. The majority of this commission have reported a bill which they be Beve will secure a substantial equaliza tion of taxation upon all classes of property, and will remove measurably the unjust burden which the present system entails upon real estate. Your Committee offers some statis tics gathered by them for your con sideration as showing the aggregate amount of the different species of property belonging to the people of this State, the taxes collected there upon, and the proportionate rate of taxation thereon. We regard these as necessary fac tors to enable us to ascertain the actual results of our present system and indicate the best methods of re vision of taxation. First, as to the amounts owned and invested in Pennsylvania belonging to the various corporations of the State. We will take the amounts of the capi tal stock and bonds, representing the interest bearing . indebtedness as af fording a means of fairly estimating the value of the railroads and other common carriers, the transportation and transmission companies. Taking the official reports of the Secretary of Internal Affairs 1888 authority : Railroads pnld up Capi tal Htock, (P. 71b).... $77fl,0M18 Railroad funded debts, etc, (P. 71a) B0.7S),ai8 tl.Ml.TW.lS Passenger It. li. Capi tal Stock Pd. (P. 106a) 18,5,noo Emiwenger H. H. Honda, etc., (P. loflu) . 10,126,000 SH,or3,ooo Canals capital stock, paid, (P. 1 i8a) 50,9,ooo Canals bonds, etc., (P. . Oia) 47,4OR,00O 97,065,000 Telegraph and tele phones capital stock paid, (P. 14to) .. 03,571,000 Telegraphs and tele phone bonds, etc.,.. 12,690,000 105,267,000 Total transportation and transmis sion CO., $1,878,575,000 BBTTHATItH OF ACDITOR-OKNKKAL TO TAX COM MISSION AS TO FBRBOKaL PROFKKTY. ' aferchantllc property estimate (500,000,000 . Money on Interest 600,000,000 , Manufacturing Co., . 150,000,000 ' Banking capital ........ 100,000,000 Maries and occupat'n 85,000,000 Building and loon as- a, 5 , , aoclations. 75,ono,ooo ironies. 80,000,000 Cattle 12-000,000 $3,,000,000 Total, $,82rt,000,000 This is the gross aggregate of perso nal corporate property and interests in Pennsylvania. It is, beyond ques tion, the most valuable as regards the tate of income and the gross receipts thereon. ' Much of it is now exempt ed from all taxation by law in defi ance of the ninth article of the Consti tution. None, of it, except horses and cattle, is taxable for any except State purposes. ' The whole amount of the State revenue for the year 1889 from all sources is,, according to the State Treasurer's report, page 9, $8,465,000. To ascertain the taxes collected by the State from the vast total of perso nal and corporate property above scheduled we will take into account and deduct the following items from the State Treasurer's report of 1889 : Collateral Inheritance tax.. $1,878,000 Foreign Insurance Co., 47t,uuo On writs and deed,... iw.ooo Hot bonus and charters 105,000 FOrllquor licenses .... 778,000 . (Prom brewers, botlerH and other licenses... 21l,0(0 Notaries. 10,000 Escheats 5,ono Kees ot public onicers, K!,000 KtftccUuneouK and sun- trte 125,000 For account of sinking fund : from Allegheny Val- ley Hull road 805,000 Commutation of ton age...... 150,000 Innulty right of way, 4n,noo 14,871 ,000 3alunce tuxes collect ed from personal and corporate properly 4,091,000 f which th lurger lleni Is the rupltul stock of corporations 1,052,000 Which with tux on gross rec'pt s of aa mo 521 ,000 to all that la collected from the value of the ' same above estimat ed at 11,878,575,000 On the other hand we have the real estate, farms and the homes of the State chargeable with the burden of the taxation for local purposes. It was assessed for taxation as per report Secretary of Internal Affairs 1880, at $3,002,942. Under the pres ent law this is taxable for local pur poses and only local purposes, what does it pay ? This shows the aggregate amount levied for county purposes in 1889. is $16,585,000; for support of townships, boroughs, municipal as per Census re port 1880, is $17,731,000 ( total, $34, 315,000. Undoubtedly this is several millions too low, as the statistics for townships and cities are ten years old and there has been a great increase in the taxes for those purposes. And we have corroborative evi dence of the statistics which have been gathered under the law of 1889. The forty-four counties and town ships which have made returns show that $29,326,913 were collected in that year for the maintenance of the county, township and municipal gov ernments. Twenty-three counties and the city of Reading failed to report in time. It is evidently true that if their reports were included the sum would much exceed the $34,316,000 exhibited above, as such cost of township and borough, county and city govern ment in 1880. We are met by the argument that the cost of construction and equip ment more nearly represents the value of the transportation corporations of the State. While we do not so regard if, be cause a great factor of the value of every such enterprise is that valuable thing which gives life and authority to it, its franchise, conveying as it does the right of eminent domain and other considerations, and the vast sum of accumulated profits and surplus which cannot be included therein, we are prepared to meet all objectors on their own ground, and herewith give esti mates based on the official reports of the Secretary of Internal Allans for 1889, as follows. Tot nl cost of Itallmad equipment , (I'. 81.) l,O88,0.r,,000 Total eont of Passenger Kallroad Kciilpinenl, (P. lOSa; 11,515,000 Total cost of canals 30,258,000 Total cost ot telegraphs and tele phones, (P. l.Utu) 2,321,000 $1,112,11,000 An amount considerably greater than that shown by the returns of the same office as the value of all the farms of the State. On this property we find that the railroad corporations paid last year capital stock tax and tax on gross receipts amounting to $1,112,139,000, or about i 1-5 mills. We feel assured that the tax payers of the State do not appreciate the enormous discrepancy of the taxes on the real estate and those on corporate and personal property. Much of this, as the stock of manufacturing compa nies' and building and loan associa tions, among the more profitable in the State much of it yielding from 12 to ?o per cent, annual income, is en tirely exempt from taxation by law in defiance and in plain violation of the Constitution. The tax which is levied upon trans portation and transmission companies and personal property, is as we have seen but 1 and 1-5 mills upon the lowest valuetion we can ascertain. It is very much below that which is laid upon the same property in our neigh bor states. Ex-Auditor-General Niles has shown ihis very sharply in the instance which he cites of the Pine Creek railroad in Tioga county. This railroad cost $4,634,000 and has a mortgage indebtedness of $3, 900,000. On account of this the capital stock face value, $1,000,000 ; it is ap praised at $ 00,000 ( the indebtedness being deducted ; a privilege which the law refuses to real estate encumbered with mortgages or judgments Upon this they pay a tax of 3 mills, for State purposes only. This railroad earned in 1889, $723,232.80; the total ex penses of running it amounted to $473-938-i8, a profit of $249,403.62, or nearly 6 per cent on the totai cost. And yet it paid but a paltry sum $300 to the State and nothing at all to the districts through rvhich its 75 miles of roadway runs. Take the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim railroad: It cost to build and equip $8,250,000 It cost to run it In 1880, 524,000 It earned la 1889,. . . 8l,ooo It paid clear proilt to stockholders... 1 j,oo0 It pays about $300 yearly tax on gross earnings and capital stock into the Pennsylvania State treasury, nothing to the townships or the county of Tioga, whence all its business and through which 37 J of its 53 miles run. But 15 J miles of it pass through New York. It crosses the State line and passes through three townships Smedley, Erwin, Cowing, 'New York State. It pays to these townships, for local purposes, their roads, schools and poor, $1,691, $875 and $1,552 respect ively, or a sum total of $4,138. Is it not evident that we must secure a re vision of the State laws of Pennsyl vania, that this revision shall be in the the interest and for" the relief ot the owners of real estate, its farms and its homes. We believe that the bill presented by the State Commission, will afford us a just measure of relief, and will ex act from the corporate and personal property, so well able to bear it, a por tion of the necessary expense of sup porting and maintaining the local government of the State. Leonard Rhone. Gerard C. Brown. R. H. Thomas. A. L. Tagoast. James G. McSpariun. wbicl) i$ p. OjUESTY Ied H tin tag on every piug. Old Honesty is acKpowt- edged to be tYe purest ana lrjost lasting piece of Standard Chewing Tobacco on the marKet. TrxTng it is a better test than any talk; about it. Give it a fair trial. Your dealer has it. SHO.FIHZERftBROS.,LOQlsTlUe,If. H. A. KEMP, PHOTO & CRAYON ARTIST. Has removed froin SIuvch' Block over Schuyler's Hard ware Store, in Gallery lately occupied by JNesbit. Fine Cabinets $1.50 per Doz. and upwards. A SPECIAL OFFER. 1 Crayon picture, life size, frame, and 1 doz. best $3.00 cabinets all for $8.00. This offer only good for 30 days from April 1st. Copying, Viewing and tak ing Groups a specialty. Bloomsburg, Pa. KESTY & HOFFMAN, 1 11 We repair Engines, Boilers, Saw Mills, Threshers, Harvesters. Mowers and all kinds of machinery. WE HANDLK STEAM PIPE FITTINGS, VALVES, STEAM CAUQES. And all kinds of Repairs. PIPE CUT TO OllDEK. AGENTS FOR Garfield Injector Co., Garfield Doublo Jet Injector, Automatic and Locomotive Injector. All work done by us is guaranteed to give satisfaction, and all work in our line will be promptly attended to SHOPS - 6th and 0ENTRE STREETS- Wall Papers. Spring Stock now readv Fine side hangings and ceiling decorations. Window $lkde$. Spring Stop Fixtures ; with or without fringe, or made to order to fit your windows. Work-men sent anywhere. W. E. BROOKE & CO. Fractica Machinists L RELIABLE CLOTHIER HATTER & CENTS' FURNISHER, Comes to the front to Call Your Attention to the fact that he is the LOWEST PRICED, and has an Immense stock of NEW SPRING AND SUMMER CLOTHING, HATS, SHIRTS, TRUNKS AND NECKWEAR, He is the Largest Dealer, Most Assortment Best Made and Fitting, which is the key to your Confi dence. Unexcelled clothing made I A BOMS AS from Danville, Berwick, Cattawissa and Intermediate Points upwards. JLsift;;cst Clothing and Hat House in Mositonr and Columbia counties. CLOTHING! CLOTHING 1 G. W. BERTSCH, THE MERCHANT TAILOR. :-o-: GENTS' FURNISHING GOODS. HATS AND CAPS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. Suits made to order at short notice and fit always guaranteed or no sale. Call and examine the largest and best selected stock of goods ever shown in Columbia County. ' Store next door to First National Bank. MAIN STREET, BloomoDur&f, Pa. THOMAS GORREY. COHTRAQTDR ::i SEDER. Plans and Estimates on all kinds of buildings. Repairing and carpenter work promptly attended to. Dealer in Builder's Supplies. Inside Hardwood finishes a specialty. Persons of limited means who desire to build can pay part and secure balance by mortgages. To tie Careful Investor. Are you looking for a safe, ten per cent, investment for your $100, or $500 or $5000 ? THE ATKINSON OF MAINE, Organized 1887, Capital, $1,000,000, has paid to Its stockholders 5 per cent, every Hlx months. Juuuury and July, Mnee organUu Mou, and eurtied u uuudswiio Hurplus. Tu further Inureaso the business with a view to earning greuter dividends, the Directors lmve authorized tun Treusurer to Issue 1UU,0(I0 ot Treasury Htock Ht pur, l(l.(Kl per aliure. Tli fulls percent, dividend will be pnld an usual to nil stockholders ot record, .May l.Mli. Wrlle the Company tor ProsectuH, Hy-I.uws and limn of stockholders, now numbering over 4U. Address Atkinson Eouse Fnhicg Co. 27 HcUoul Street, BOSTON, MASS. OK PORTLAND, ME. A CHANGS TO MAKE MONEY. Kalnry and Expenses paid, or Commission If preferred, tialesmen wanted every, where. lo experience needed. Address, staling age. 11. 0. FOBTER CO., Nurserymen, Gone, N. T. AftTTTff TC make loo per cent- on my Cor. VJblN Id sets Hells, Brushe', curlers, & Medlclue. Humpies free. Write uow. Dr. Bildgman 871 li'wuy, N. Y. KcKpcctiiilly Yours, X!UISflM FARE PAID SiirPS.' Spring days are at hand and premonitions of warm weather bring with them a desire for cooling dishes. We shall keep Ice Cream of many flavors from now on, and will serve it in our parlors day or night. Families and parties sup plied. Get our prices. The Cafe is open, and the kitchen is in charge of an ex perienced cook. Catering for parties, lodges, weddings, etc., a specialty. ' Fresh bread and cakes daily in the bakery. ' M. M PHILLIPS & SON. . Proprietors of "PHILLIPS' CAFE." Bloomsburg, Pa. PATENTS. Caveats and Trade Marks obtained, and aH Patent, business conducted lor MODKKATE FKKH. OI H OFFICE IH OPPOSITE THE V. H. PAT ENT OKKICK. We have no sub-agencies, all business direct, hence can transact puteut busi ness In less time and at Less Cost than those re mote from Washington. Hend model, drawing or photo, with desrrtp tlon. Wo advise If patentable or not, free of chance. Our fee not due till patent Is secured A book, "How to Obtain Patents," with refer, ences to actuid clients In your Htute, county, or town, sent free. Address C. A. KNOW A CO,, Washington, D. C. (Opposite U. 8. Patent ortlce.) Dr. Grosvenor's Bell-cap-sic Giwss inirk TtUf J rum pain. PLASTER. IZhimmAtiarn, nmmtrta. plenriayand tambajro iunioiice, (rffiuin iur mi ny All irrUtfiMl TRUST of NICHOLAS Pay Hli'lc. Hi.llir. Pftrtodlcal. 3 nnd Death llimctlts. $50 TO $500 , 9 IT' Write for clrculiu-H, Bppllnatlon, and tcruiH to Hecretiirlt'K. AU(lrf TKL'ST OF NK'IIOLAS, lHiy Hprlut; Uiirdcn St., Plilliulolulilu. I'a. VSRADAMS 0 0 KILLER CURES ALL DISEASES. It lBtlie only inedlolue t l.at can he taken In larfre enotiKU (juitutltluH u m on Itirmunt ut Ion, deutroy uilci(ilM) (IIih iieriuH t (IWuhm), und not In any wuy cuuxi) harm to the puilisnu it vontulim no druKH whuUjvor.but Ih a wutor cnurfe-ed with pow erful irurm-dHHti'oylntr (Iuhoh. It cuii-h whi'iti all oilier i'1'iiiuillcn fail. Uook, giving Ueim theo ry of dlnene, Free. U. A. iU KELVV, HloomBburg, Fa., or Apr. 10-u-a. 7 Lulght Ht., New York City. mi to order. lor the Purchasers of $5.00 I $3000-: A TF.AKt 1 un1-rtak to fcrlfty (rath in fairly Intf1lljr,rtt nm-nof either I ix, w ho ran rratl and wrltr.aud wh ifrrr liiaimrtlon.will worn muuitrtouiiy, how to mm Thr Thuuaanri Dollars a t mr Id thelrow n lo-altl.,vhrrvr l hay llve.l will alao furnlak the hutt.tiortmlyni"nt,a( whli-h you ran rani that amount. ho money fW minliaa Mirer aa fill a abuv. Kaally and quirk la lr antra. 1 uriir lint una worurr from mca omnci orcouoiy. 1 ha alraatly taught and provided witli mploymrnt l,rff nunibrr, who nr mnklatc over M'MMI a Tfartach. It'a N V and MOI.il. Full particulars FH KK Addrni il ooca, t', ALM:, Hoi 40. Aiihm.U. Mulne. ftnujr Kttl f.rtnahawhn made at woia r,.r 11 tiy Anna ina-r, Aioun, Tj. anil Ji.a li.inn. Tolwt. Ohio. hiw rut. Illhrrarvdlnrawll. w T Tour Hum ram ovar rw."w iaifli. Vmi r tin ihr work and ft home, whr-i-r ytrti art, .vn rnnrra arc raall arnln(r ftoin lOaday. Alltra. Wrahow you how and atari rnu. t an work In naratlm oral) in rima. Hlff money far work era. Failure unknown anions: than. Nli' W .iitwonriarful. I'arttrii lara fraa II.IIMItUfeC.tlftuKtWO l'urtluuiI.Mata MONEY ran raarn4atottrRtWllnof work ranidlv and honomblr. by thoas 1 iiher aei, youneor old, and In their or own locaUUra, iirravsr they Ilea. Anf Wa ftimlik- varytsJoff. W atart you. No rtafc. You can davol your anare momenta, oratl yuur tlma 0 tha work. Thfa la an entirely new lead .and brings wonderful necaaa to every works. Hi-Kin tt era ar enrnlnri from to tatt par week and upwards. 011a ran do lbs work. F.aar to Uarn. and more after a little experlenos. Wtcan fumlah you tba a fiitivmeni ann iracQ y u r iiaa, no spar 10 evniain nara. rata Lifurmalion Ha,a, XUUCaftlCO.. AttiiaMA, aUUaV t 5i0.fM a year la tiring made by ,1ohn H. ionrtwln,Trvj,N.Y.,ul work tor u. Meailes you may nl nuk a murk, but ws natt tenth jru quickly hw ayeain from fa l r1 III a day at tlir aitrt, and iiune aa tru go nn. n'tn ari, an ottea, in any (-an rr Amerlt a, you tan comment m immr, glv nig alt yuur ilnif.or aiiare monifnta onlv lo llir w,.ik. All la new. limit l ay M lik lor evr,y.,lr. KAHII.Y. HFKKMI.V liarnriT. i'Alil H LLAhh FliK.K. Addr'Sa at mirtw "Mh4).S j U., 1-OMUMl, llalNk. n Mnrkrr. We atari vou. foriiiahlna FRAZER GREASE UEST IX THE WORLD. Xtswoarina qualities aronnsurpfuweri, actually outlasting two boxes of any other brand. Not ff.ctd by but, irii ET i ll E d EX U I X C. FOR SALE BY DEAtEH8 GENERALLY, lyv t wrm t mi tiskS I PARKER'S llMK HAIR BALSAM S3 CImiuti .lid bmulirUii ih. hair. 'i t I'rmiiuUi ft llixUfl.nl Bruwtll. rHSf'ki''W Hair to Its Youthful Color. 1V1 Tf 1 " ii.i Curv. vi'ulp i1i.-.h. Ic h.lr t.Uuig. -Xtj i-,iiiltl m.t Dmrifiill Wis Parker'. OuiK.r Tonm. It cum the wor.t tutiKh, rak liiit, brliilit)'. lniliKvJtioa. PaUifaa. intiuie.Mcti. itlNDERCORMS. Th. onlr iur. cure for Conn. kju aTviu. Bo. at jjruignu, or UlfcCUJl CO., H. Y. , BOILING WATER OR MILK EPPS GRATEFUL-COMFORTING. COCOA LABELLED 1.2 LB. TINS ONLY. A pamphlet of Information andab- t.Lra.ux mi i.w.,auowin. tlow toj uotain rai.iu., usvemta, Tnae. aiaxia, voprngnu, ami Jrt. taanai nuNH m gu.y L .w k. GOOD SALARY AND EXPKN8K8 PAID. We want a few more good men to sell our nur sery products. To enei gutlu and reliable men we will guarantee Liberal Wugea and Perma nent Employment. Previous experience not re quired. Terms and outfit Irue, Address slating age and enclosing stamp. BEAS8, HEN BY & 00 , BKNECA NUKBERIEH. GENEVA, N. Y. ' 4-17-dw.
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