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Untitled Article
each individual in proportion to his property in the town list . Here are all needful securities for fairness in the repartition : — Choice of-the valuers by the persons to be assessed . A definite rule of assessment . Publicity of proceedings . ¦ . . . . Full social and legal security in opposing ^ accuracy or wrong . The practical defects of the New York system are probably less than those of any other in known operation ; and they are nearly all to be traced to what we deem errors relative to the objects of taxation—none of them to the principle of repartition .
With these guarantees the system of repartition evidently tends , as is found in America , to equality and fairness ; for since every county , town , and person knows that a given sum is to be raised , everybody knows , as a consequence , that an unfairly small assessment in one place produces an unfairly great one in some other . The mutual pressure of equal interests under equal circumstances promotes justice in the result ; and if there be reason for dissatisfaction , the facts duly proved by each for his own case afford a
basis for right to all the rest . The system requires not absolute correctness , but uniformity of treatment ; and while the true and far most expedient rule of valuation would he in general the selling value of the property , it would not affect the issue if the whole were taken at half or double of its real worth , provided all were valued by the same rule . This equality of treatment nothing could promote more powerfully than the publicity , comparison , and freedom of discussion , which in England could not be separated from the system .
The following arrangements , suggested as suitable to our own circumstances , borrow some of their chief features from the system of New York . The only use of such a suggestion here is to show , by an example , that it would not be difficult to devise and carry into effect a working system on this basis , and not at all to say that the details here proposed are essential to the due working of the principle . As in the American plan , Parliament would determine by a given day the sum to be raised for the year : it might also , at a further stage of the proceedings , ratify by its authorization the rate per cent , of the year's tax .
The system for effecting the valuation for assessment would consist of two parts , acting with each other concurrently : one of them , emanating from the tax-payers , would be charged with the active duties of the valuation ; the other , appointed by the Crown , would have the general oversight , together with si right of interference in case of gross inequality , injustice , or evasion . The assessors , or rather valuers ( for the assessment follows some time after the valuation ) , would be chosen on a certain day all over the kingdom , so fixed as to allow the valuation to be completed by the time that the gross sum to be raised was determined by Parliament . Three valuers would be chosen by each town of
perhaps : 5 () 0 () inhabit suits or less , and in larger parishes three more for each additional IHXH ) persons . Two serve in their own parish , and the third , by lot , in some other parish in the district . To these valuers—two being resident and one a stranger—would be committed the formation of the lists of values ; and these lists , Avhen completed , would lie exposed to public examination at fixed p laces , : ind for si specified lime . When finally adjusted they would be transmitted to the Crown officer of the district ; any person feeling himself aggrieved forwarding si complaint and proofs at the same time .
The . Crown officer of the diHtrul , would form and publish u list , of the separate totals of the parish lists , which a meeting of all the valuers of the district smd of the Crown officer would examine . If no inequality appeared , the list would be continued : if correction were , needed it would be inside by vote of the whole , under the cheek of a veto by tho ( Iriiwn oflicer suspending a surcharge ( luring investigation by independent parties . A surcharge on a parish from which no well-Mipported complaint of inlernal inequality had been received would lake effect , ratcably on all values within the parish .
A meeting in London of the elncf revenue ofluvrs of ( lie Crown , and of ( lie ehairnieii of districts , would in like manner revise and puss Iho general list for the United Kingdom . A surcharge , if rendered needful in any ease by proved inequality , as compared with the rest of the kingdom , would pass l , o the district ,, to the parishes , and , eventually , to each separate value . On certification to the Tivi » miry of the taxable value for ( he . year , I he assessment would everywhere take plan ; in the ratio to 1 . 1 m individual values , which the Hum to be rained might bear to the total value of ( be properly to be taxed . The officers of the Crown , insteud of being , as now ,
the actual exactors , would usually fulfil the duties of impartial witnesses . It would be their duty to participate in all proceedings , and if fairness did not prevail in the ordinary course of the business , it would he for them to secure it by the responsible exercise of their veto . All records and lists would be easily accessible ^ to parties interested ; more especially the proposed lists for the year - \ yould be open for fixed periods in every parish and district . Any person deeming himself aggrieved , whether by too heavy a valuation on himself , or by one too light on any other , would be entitled to complain , with offer of proofs , to the assessor , or to the local officer of the Crown .
The rule of valuation should be , as in New York , the value which would be allowed for the property in payment of a bond fide debt—that is , the fair market value at the time . The valuation being chiefly in the hands of residents , would have the aid of local knowledge , while the presence of a person from another parish would promote not only impartiality as between individuals , but uniformity of valuation as between parishes . Possibly , in some cases , a parish might prefer being valued by a Crown officer ; a request to which there could be no objection . Facility of valuation could not but follow from the objects of taxation being commonly of certain existence , and of a definite character . Neither abstract rights , whether present or deferred , nor the fluctuating products of skill and
industry , nor the doubtful results of complex and evervarying transactions , nor the suspected profit of some surmised advantages , would form any part of the matters to be examined . The simple question would be , the present value of some object or group of objects which can be exactly specified and marked out ; and for much the greater part of the total national value , these must be of such a nature that sufficient judges of their worth would not be wanting . The means of valuation would be augmented by the deeds , contracts , invoices , or other documents produced by the individual , or required if needful by the valuers . A voluntary statement by the individual , if satisfactory to the valuers , would save further proceedings , especially if it were' accompanied by sufficient proofs .
Two cases present themselves as perhaps the most difficult to be dealt with . The first is the class of objects not readily susceptible of an ordinary appraisement for sale , as , for instance , a mansion extraordinarily sumptuous in its character , a country residence in a situation vsiluable only from the associations of the owner , work's of art of the first clsiss , or unusual machinery . Hut even in the most extreme of these eases there sire commonly recent transactions relating to like objects which will furnish si sufficient guide . Nor could any probable amount of error in regard to this sinsdl section of the whole property of the nation , produce siny serious effect on the general distribution ot the public burthens .
The second class of objects more difficult than others to be valued , consists of fluctusiting stocks . These would require- to be tsiken sit sin average . Tradesmen in genersil can tell , smd ought always to be able to tell , within the neces . sary limits of accuracy , both the value of their stocks and the ordinsiry variations of their amount . A lew eases of sictusil sale , or valuation of stocks , sticli an sire commonly taking place , would test sufncienUy the returns made by individuals . Those ; remarks apply very much also to fluctuating . stocks in the ' hands of Dock Companies and Curriers .
The . Assessors and other officers engaged in tbo munsigcmenf of the -income Tax , attribute much forai in favour of the revenue to the various motives which lead many persons to put the best , appearance on their circumstances ; this eonsidersition , whatever may be it . H real weight ,, applies at lesisf as much to the proponed tax as to that on income . The motive to misrepresentation as to value is mneli
diminished by the plan now proposed . The evasion of a tax of one per cent ' , ( and in time , probably , of less ) oilers little , chance of gain . Twenty per cent ; ., inoro or less , in flu ; value of a house ; or a tradesman ' s stock , would in most ciimch involve a difference in the tax too small to weigh materially with the tux-payer ; often , indeed , he would prefer a valuation which , at so sinull a Hsicrifice , might tend to sustain his position in the eyes of his neighbours and connexions .
In respect , of the greater part , of ( , / ie property to lie faxed , other rclufioiiH exist , with their consequent , obligations , flu ; transactions connected with which may oft on supply indubitable , or at , least highly probable , evidence of value . Assessments to poor-rates , insurances , willn , mortgages , in short , siny fact or transaction which in not ot a , nature to be secret , or which is already published , whether volunfarily or by operation of law , may serve the purposes of all reasonable correctness . M . Kmile < lc ( Hiranliii proposes to carry this principle mo far in I'Yiinee us to make the ( jovcrinnent the great , Insurance Office of the country , and to combine flic
premium for insurance with the tax ; he hopes thus to bring into operation a strong motive to the making of fair returns . We think this device altogether superfluous in England , and objectionable moreover on principle , points we must discuss in our notice of the very valuable work in which the suggestion is found . Failing all , however , whether from . neglect or recusancy , the ultimate step would be an actual valuation without appeal , by authority of the Crown officer ; and of this measure none could complain , since they would have ample means of avoiding it . Even , however , in these less easy applications of our principle , which affect but a small part of the entire taxation , the difficulty is not so great as in the main staple of affairs in any existing system . Assessment is not always easy in indirect taxation ; hut even if it were so , collection is proportionately difficult , as witness our army of custom-house officers and excisemen : and with respect to direct taxation as at present managed , it is evident that the Income Tax in England and the Personal Property Tax in New York both rel y mainl y for assessment on the statements of the individuals assessed ( statements just as available for this system , and more likely to be correct ); and where it is desired to go beyond that , the valuation is of matters in respect of which it is infinitely less susceptible of accuracy than in the worst of the cases we have suggested , or which we suppose can occur under the proposed system . Here the worst that can come is an actual and conclusive valuation . But further ; to facilitate comparison with the values of other parishes or districts , the values in each would be distributed under several heads , as , for instance , land , dwelling houses , buildings , household furniture , farming stock , stock in trade , machinery . These , together with the standing elements of area and population , would soon lead to detection of any considerable wrong , and in a few years the corrections suggested by these comparisons would establish a list correct to all practical purposes as between different parishes or districts , and requiring readjustment only as new elements of wealth became notorious . If a district were thus made to stand fair with the kingdom in general , each of its constituent parishes must besir on the average its share of the burden , and in a short time most probably its true share ; and if a parish had its true share , no individual could long shuffle off much of his rightful quota . A system like this , if proposed in reference to income , or even to what a man is worth , would be justly and generally opposed . The inquisitorial character of our income tax is much complained of ; and it is said now , as it was said under the former income tax , that private affairs sire sometimes revealed from official quarters . Much greater , we suppose , would be the dissatisfaction if all the circumstances relating to a man ' s income wore to be scrutinized l > y bis near neighbours . The tax on personal property , in New York , is open to the Bsune objection ; for it is founded not on property actually in possession , but on what each nuiii is worth , the whole of his uf lairs , however private , heny tsiken into account . The proposed tax avoids this ( inficulfy , smd so admits of the stringency , where necjin » , of un " assessment founded on exact knowledge ol i" « - faets . Dealing only with visible and tangible objects , it sisks , Whose is this ? What is it worth t And nicrt its inquisition ends . The affairs of every man , in tm . totality smd effect , are as much his own secret , as e <¦ • Such inquiries relating exclusively to objects of win . 1 , from their nature , many persons must , have kll < m " P , besides their owners , arc ; surely the least m »™ »» of any measures which have been proposed lor u « - 1 poses of national taxation . . r . Our remarks have been confined to » SHi ; ss "" / inn that , part of the subject required full considerate - collection , if assessment be once well done , so »» " _ sembles , in flu ; cstse of taxes , what , lulu * 1 > < " ' (! " " j t other cases , that , it cannot bo neces . sary to < " " The cost of assessment smd collection could « cnri { ' J . be greater for this than for the present »" " 1 ( 1 lor while a much greater number of sinall Mini . ^ come into account , those already entering '"^' ^ j JllWi come tax would in every ease be much IIU ' n' ' u ) ' . t , so cost proportionally less in management . _ ^^ of assessing and collecting Iho in « - <«»<> » IX n \ t-XL f ,. v . l ) d , per cent . ( Urporf . of Iwmne !«¦ ' ¦ ¦ | ho / ,,- , V ' mv . v / y , : « 45 ); that of assessing an « < ' <•'' < ' chief items of our present revenue in iim loll" ' _ A ,,, « u .. t . rw . i . « - '¦! fir ; ::::::: » * « TuxeH -hind , iiHHetfued , and ., < f 1 <> 1 income w , ~ , c > ? ' ' ' —_— - Total and average , . . ^> V ' ' ^ ' ^[ , The . total coat «> f collection of the . ulxm-, i * V « ' '
Untitled Article
1042 THE LEADEE . [ Saturday ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 30, 1852, page 1042, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1958/page/14/
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