The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-09-10
FACTS AND FIGURES
For the People OF low q!
DIS MoINxs, Aug. %, 1858.

DRS MONIES, aug. 20, 1000.
Mn. EprroR see that certain Democrat
ic papers are publishing my letters to the
County Clerks, in which ! report to them
the action OF the State Board OF Equalixa-
ton upon the assessment OF l057-with this
have no fault to find, except that they pub
lish the few In which the tax was raised, and
none OF the many in which the tax has been
reduced. But do protest against their in
famous misrepresentation and unprovoked
abuse. They seem to be very solicitous
about the rights Of thu people, and are Ia
boring TO convince them that they are to bcI
ruined BY taxation, unless they will turn
over their business to the HoS.sr-xcoSoHY-
LOVING DIxocaAco. who have demonstrated
so clearly during the last year their ability
70 take care Of tho national treasury, and Of
the school fund Of this state. The last Gen.
eral Assembly passed law authoriIing the
County Boards OF Equalization to equaliss
the assessment OF real property for the year
1857, and report 1t to the Auditor a. the as
sessment Of 1858. The same Law requires
the State Board to equalixe tho assessment
of the several counties. This they have done,
and the following table will show that the
taxes in the aggregate are about rs per cent.
below what they we're last year--and 10 many
cases it will be seen that tho tax does not
amount to one-hak what II did last year. In
few cases--only nine in all-the tax Is
higher than it was last year, and this is ~ It
should be. take for example Lucas county:
Lucas county reported 36Y 1856 acres of land,
valued in the aggregate at e149. 4l6 30-l0O,
which 10 q little less than two DOLLARS AND
-FOUR CENTS PEI ACHE. Again, Kossuth coun-
ty, new county, with sparse population,
and bat very little improved, reports the ~.
sessment at an average Of Six DOLLARS AND
FORTY CENTS PER ACHE. What in justice was
the State Board compelled to do Certainly
increase the one and reduce the other; and
they did 90, and 90 would any honest men,
Kossuth was reduced SO per cent. The
County Board Of Equalization for Lucas
county reduced the assessment 331 per cent.
and the State Board added thereto q per
centum making tho average price of land
$3.50, which it il richly worth, Lucas being
one OF the finest bodies Of land 10 Iowa. The
report from CLARK county, being next west
If Lucas, shows the assessment OF that
county to have been made ut 90 average OF
$3.50 per acre. II the assessment is made
equal in oil the counties 1t matters but little
what the value 10 90 long as there 10 given
sum to be raised. The Board sought to make
them equal. It was not Aecessary to fix .
high valuation in order to produce large
revenue, so long - the Board have the pow
er to change the rate OF the levy. The law
fixing tho rate ct three mills on the dollar,
OF valuation, Was passed in 1881 and the
Census Board Of Equalization are author
ized to FIX any less rate. For this year the
rate was fixed ct one and one-half mills per
dollar. The rate last year WAS two mills on
the dollar. To make the matter little
clearer, We will suppose that no equalization
had been made in CLARK and Lucas counties.
A man owning l60 acres in Lucas would
have to pay state tax amounting to 40
cents, and one having the same number OF
acres in CLARK county would pay &l.00, al
though Clark 10 the newer county. A large
number Of counties have not yet reported
the assessment Of personal property for
1858, and the report Of last year has been
adopted in the computation Of this table,
When the true figures are obtained the
amount will be still less, as some counties
that have reported show falling OF from
last years reports of over 40 per centun.--
But we will let the table speak for itself-t
is taken from the records, and any who dare
dispute it can examine the matter for them
selves. The reduction Of taxes in the whole
State is very large, and is made in nearly all
the counties Of the State.
Yours respectfully,
JOHN PATTEE.