The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-03-14
Tax sales.

In another column will be found an ar
ticle from the County Treasurer, IN which
he clearly, and we think to every unbi-
ased mind, satisfactorily explains bis ac-
ton in causing the sale of lands for the
delinquent taxes as the law directs, In
stead of putting it off as requested by
large number Of our citizens in a petition
which appeared in the Democrat Of this
week. In doing as he has, Mr.. South
wick has done netting more nor less
titan every upright and faithful officer
would do, and what he could not avoid
doing without violating the letter and
meaning of the statute which governs his
official duties.
1t is evident that many of those who
signed that petition, were l@boring under
false impressions concerning tho matter.
Some were incorrectly informed, and SIN
ceroy supposed that it was entirely dis
cretionary with the Treasurer to sell e.
Their in April or September as he felt in
clincd. We too have been told by some
that it would be an act of unjust compul-
SION to obige land owners to pay their
taxes before the second Tuesday in April
or suffer the cost of sale. This too is a
mistake.
In regard to the legal obligations upon
the County Treasurer to sell lands for de-
linquent taxes in April, we have only to
refer those who are willing to be conyin-
ced, to the language of the statute.
The fault, if it be fault, is in the law,
not in the Treasurer. And in order to
obtain the relief to delinquent tax payers
that the petitioners ask, without more
highly favorisg some than others it would
not only be necessary to change the Law S
in regard to the sale of lands, but also
in regard to collections made by Town
Treasurers Examine the facts Of the
| case.
In the first place, town collectors are
commanded by Their warrants to collect
the taxes assessed to individuals as shown
by their rolls, and if any person neglects
or refuses to pay, to collect by distress
and sale of personal property. This pro-
vision applies generally to residents, such
as have personal property-they must
pay up or lose their teams, cows, pigs, or
whatever attachabIe property they pos
sess, while non-residents can take their
own time for pay NJ their taxes without
running any risks till the lands arc
Sold
Again, the collectors in all the towns
have made their return of delinquent tax
es, verified by an oath that they have IL
no case returned the taxes where they
could find property to seize and sell fol
their payment; and the County Treasur-
er informs us that under this state of fac S
an examination Of the rolls shows til;
nineteen twentieths of the resident rea
estate owners in the county, have p;i id
their taxes.
Now after all this rigorous dealing Will
the residents,it is proposed to give 10 nor
residents an extension of five months will
no extra charges. This is aItogetLe
wrong. 1t is not only unjust towards
residents to put them through, and allow
residents to take their tin @, but poo
public policy, for the only way to Undue,
nou-resideuts to pay their taxes as prompt
ly as residents is to have the sale occur a,
soon as possible after the residents have
be,n required to pay, and exact, las IL,
law now does, q penalty for advert;
sing and selling.-PrescoH Transcript