REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY xi

From a perusal of said statement, it would appear that the
increase in some counties is entirely out of proportion to that
of others. Allowing a reasonable difference for the fact that
property values have increased more rapidly in some sections
of the State than in others, nevertheless the lack of such in-
crease where the same might reasonably be expected is re-
markable. It is manifest that a State basis to be founded in
equity should of all things be uniform. It matters little to
the property holder if his assessment is 100 per cent, of its
true value, provided, however, all other property is assessed
in the same ratio. But if his assessment is very much higher
than those of others, he not only has to pay more than he
should, but also has to make good the under-assessment of those
more favored. To a certain extent inequalities in assessments
will occur as long as human agencies are invoked in levying
taxes, but it should be the care of those in authority to see that
some system be inaugurated whereby those inequalities are
reduced to a minimum.

Under our present system, making a State basis by local
authorities without any State supervision is an anomaly. I
think it a fair inference that by such system you will have just
as many different units of value as there are taxing authorities
in the State. In my judgment, this condition should no longer
exist, and I would respectfully recommend the creation of a
State Board with sufficient powers to correct, as far as possible,
these inequalities, as well as others under our present system.

The State tax, in my opinion, should be levied and collected
uniformly. Under our present laws the city of Baltimore
levies the local and State taxes in December, beginning the col-
lection thereunder in January following for that calendar
year—one county will levy in April or prior thereto, beginning
the collection thereof in May, and so on, nearly every county in
the State having a different date for its levy and collection.
How difficult, therefore, it becomes to estimate with any degree
of accuracy the revenue of the State from direct taxes!

TAX ON FOREIGN CORPORATIONS.

Under the present law foreign corporations, except certain
companies therein exempted, ''shall at the time of filing its