TAX FOR REVENUE.
The SPEAKER announced the special order, viz: The consideration of Mr. Edwards' resolution, declaring the expediency of a loan of money for State purposes, to be paid out of assessments of taxes based upon a just appraisement of real estate, and to be divided between several years, commencing with the year 1859 - the question being on the adoption of Mr. Martin's substitute, declaring it to be the first duty of this Legislature to pass a revenue bill for the year 1858 -
Mr TURPIE took the floor, and insisted on prompt action in the matter of paying the needful revenue. He regretted that no committee had reported their plan to begin this work. There was no difficulty about the tax receipts already given. A receipt was good only up to the time of its date. He saw no great difficulty in the way of making a levy for this year, and believed there was yet time enough, if it were well improved. No man thought of paying the January instalment of interest by tax collections. But the levy would put us on the vantage ground as borrowers. It was to gain time for the payment of the State debt by instalments, that he desired to begin now. He stopped not to inquire whether the levy could be paid. It was no argument against the levy to say it would not lie paid The bill authorizing the levy could be matured, signed and published in ten days. He scouted the idea of being affected on this question by those skyey influences upon which depend the crops of the farmer. It was said we should wait for the report of the Committee on Ways and Means. What light could they give? Certain members had attempted yesterday to enlighten the House, and their effort was little more or better than to make the surrounding darkness visible. The committee ought to have reported long ago. Only yesterday the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means had shown by the introduction of a bill, that his mind was more occupied with that magnificent farce, the election of United States Senators, than with this question of revenue.
Mr. DAVIS objected to continual references to party interests in connection with this question of revenue. His position was individual on this question. Divested of party biases, it had but one side. It was enough to know that trouble was page: 82[View Page 82]upon the State, without inquiring who are most at fault. Both parties were at fault What need then have we further for the services of the drill sergeants of party? He commended them all to the Old Boy, to whom all parties, save one (the old Whig) seemed to be drifting. He contrasted the inequality of the condition of the taxpayers in the counties of Floyd and St. Joseph on account of the present appraisement of real estatethe poor lands of Floyd were assessed at $15 an acre, whilst the fertile fields of St. Joseph were assessed at $4 an acre. Taxation should be equal: and this should be remedied. He referred also to the exemption of our bank stock in the hands of foreign stockholders. He would not authorize a levy till this property should be brought upon the duplicate. He insisted also upon taxing the property of Railroad Companies, before the next levy should be made. The first thing we should do was to provide for a just mode of property valuation. The man of money and notes pays full tax on what he holds, whilst the land holder in many cases pays, perhaps, only on the fourth part of the value of his lands. He also referred to the present pressure on account of the prop failures. He was in favor of borrowing to meet these deficiencies, and taxing to make it up, under a just assessment. He would borrow from abroad not all at once, but in such amounts and at such times as would be necessary to get along. Let us all contribute to relieve the burdens of the State according to our several abilities- The loan could be wiped out in less than four years, by a tax of twenty cents on the hundred dollars. A present levy would be troublesome, and trouble would make expense, &c.
Mr. BRANHAM spoke for his colleagues in the committee, and of the difficulties in their way. They found that the alleged means in the Treasury were not available. They were protested acceptances. The Treasurer had told him that he would soon be able to report one hundred and forty thousand dollars in the Treasury, available for the January interest. The committee could not get at the accounts. How was it that the amount of interest on the public debt was increasing? We want to know how much the whole debt is. When we make a statement, we want to show that we know what we are about. He could inform gentlemen, he thought, that the condition of the finances was not quite so bad as the fears of some would indicate. With reference to the July interest, he affirmed that it would cost more to collect the tax on the duplicate of 1858, than to pay the interest on the loan required. He even doubted whether enough could be collected on such a levy to pay that interest. Suppose you advance the value of Indiana stock in the market, the advantage goes all into the pockets of the brokers holding our bonds, at the expense of our tax-grinding operation on the people- We were buying in our bonds, and such a policy could not help us in that.
Mr. TURPIE was willing to reciprocate the disclaimer of party feeling on the part of gentlemen. He proceeded to reply to the argument against a present levy - alleging the difficulty of avoiding inequality and injustice in appraisements and assessment. He insisted that the farmers were taxed more strictly than any other class of men. He took the view that we are not to blame for this inequality. Because others have neglected their duty, would that justify us in returning to the people without raising this revenue. No one had proposed to pay off the entire indebtedness of the State. He said, let us have a light levy, but let it be something. With regard to the hope of better crops, gentlemen had taken up the refrain of yesterday - "Wait a little while - there's a good time coming, boys." This was worth nothing, without assurances as to dates. He had never said the financial condition of the State was desperate.
Mr. HANCOCK remarked that his people were willing and able to pay the revenue required of them.
Mr. RYNEARSON preferred to be guided by the report of the Auditor. He read from the Constitution to show the cases in which the Legislature may authorize a loan. The present deficiency of revenue was not a "casual deficit." The report of the Auditor showed a necessity for appropriations to the amount of $559,000. Suppose half this is borrowed in Wall street, what future Legislature would make a levy to pay it? If gentlemen would lengthen out the time of paying- the State indebtedness, let them begin now. Gentlemen want time to financier, and they will raise the July interest out of the revenue of 1859. This reappraisement could not be made till the fall of 1859. The Chairman of the Committee had alleged that it would take more money to pay the Auditors and Collectors than to pay the interest of the needful loan. He had consulted many of these officers, and had learned from them that if the assessments were in round numbers, as fifteen cents on the hundred dollars, the collection would be a very easy job. If we defer the evil day one year we may defer it ten years as well. He preferred to meet the difficulty at the threshhold. All the objections to the levy dwindled into nothing when compared with tire greater evil of an increase of the public debt.
Mr. PARRETT was in favor of levying lor a portion of the amount necessary. If we do nothing now, in 1860 we will have to collect a million and a half of dollars. He regarded the estimates of the gentleman from Jefferson as half too small. He was hardly satisfied that the inequality in appraisements were as great as gentlemen pretended. It might be true with regard to a few counties; but his researches had convinced him that the value of property had increased rapidly in all parts of the State - the South as well as the North. The lands were assessed in 1851, but in 1857 the lands and the improvements were assessed, and this fact lessens the weight and force of the argument of inequality. He wanted the State debt extinguished instead of being increased in 1860; and he would make a levy for 1858 sufficient to meet the revenue demanded for this year.
Mr. HALL of Rush supported the part of those who would have a just appraisement first, and then a levy; and he thought the whole could be arranged and in operation in the course of three months. He replied at length to the objections to this course.
Mr. BAIRD gave notice that if the question page: 83[View Page 83]was not put soon, there was a combination around where he sat, to insist on the right to Speak round." ("Question, question.")
Mr. PROSSER moved to lay the amendment the table.
The yeas and nays being demanded, ordered and taken thereon, resulted - yeas 54 nays 45, as follows:
YEAS - Messrs. Austin, Baird, Blythe, Boxley, Branham, Brotherton, Cavins, Clark, Colgrove, Collier, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Davis , Duvall, Edwards, Gifford, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant, Hall of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Harrison, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnston, MansfieId, Mellett, Miller, Murray, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Park , Prosser, Ritter, Robinson. Row, Scott, Sherman, Shields, Smith of Miami, Smith of Perry, Stanfield, Stiles, Stinson, Thompson of Elkhart, Treadway, Waterman, Whetzel, Whiteman, Wildman, and Mr. Speaker - 54.
NAYS - Messrs. Black, Bowman, Boyd, Carr, Claypool, Clayton, Clements, Dobbins, Dougherty, Durham, Early, Kastham, Firestone, Fordyce, Hancock, Hurney, Hartley, Jones, Jordan, Keefer, Kelly, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain, Major, Massey, Merrifield, Martin, Nelson, Newton, Parrett, Rynearson, Shockley, Shull, Snyder, Stanley, Sullivan, Summers, Tebbs, Thompson of Madison, Turpie, Usrey, Wood - 45.
So the amendment was laid on the table.
The question recurring on the adoption or the original resolution, the yeas and nays thereon resulted - yeas 51, nays 45 - as follows:
YEAS - Mersrs. Austin, Baird, Blythe, Boxley, Branham, Brotherton, Cavins, Clark, Colgrove, Collier, Comstock, Cotton, Davidson, Davis, Duvall, Edwards, Gregory, Griffin, Hall of Grant, Hail of Rush, Hamilton of Boone, Hamilton of Wayne, Harrison, Hunter, Jeffries, Johnston, Mansfield, Mellett, Miller, Murray, Nebeker of Vermillion, Nebeker of Warren, Parks, Prosser, Hitter, Rohinson, Row, Scott, Sherman, Shields, Smith of Miami, Stanfield, Stiles, Stinson, Thompson of Elkhart, Treadway , Waterman, Whetzel, Whiteman, Wildman and Mr. Speaker - 51.
NAYS - Messrs. Black, Bowman, Boyd, Carr, Claypool, Clayton, Clements, Dobbins, Dougherty, Durham, Early, Eastham, Firestone, Fordyce, Hancock, Harney, Hartley, Jones, Jordan, Keefer, Kelley, Kempf, Knowlton, Lawhead, Lewis, McLain, Major, Massey, Merrifield, Martin, Nelson, Newton, Parrett, Rynearson, Shockley, Shull, Smith of Perry, Snyder, Stanley, Sullivan, Summers, Thompson of Madison, Turpie, Usrey and Wood - 45.
Mr. GIFFORD asked to be excused from voting. So the resolution was adopted.
