, 1862-01-22
What he possessed, the same per cent. Is
LIZ laec

Mia, he possessed, the same per cent. Is
lis neighbor, neither more or less.
Lcok at the way property is assessed IN
IlliEois: Every spring tic local assessor
goes round seeking seAom he can dpotd,
und striving to return rs small list as !
possible. Lands and the improvements |
thereon, are put down at one-thi7d TO onc-
fifth tl<if dctAdI cash oalue. Personal |
property is slurred over in the most care
less manner Aconsidcrahlc part Of the live
stock Of the State, wholly escapes entry:
Less than half the carriages, watches and
planes are put down, and not one dollar in
ten Of the moneys and credits. Household
furniture is entered ut a small fraction Of
itsyulue, 81. Capital invested in merchan-
gize and manufacturing, is assessed at
sum bearing slight relation to the truth
Nobody being obliged to return his
property under oath, every one naturally
seeks to have the amount put down as
little as possible. The assessors are afraid
to value property at anything like its
true worth, lest the citizens Of his town
shall be obliged to pay more than their
relative proportion Of country taxes; and
the Boards Of Supervisors are actuated By
the same desire to prevent their county
from paying more than its equal share Of
the State taxes. How far each county has
protected itself is q matter Of guess-work.
Many counties doubtlessly pay considerable
more than their: quota and others cores
pondingly less
The total cash value Of the property Of
the State, is not less than one thousand
| millions Of dollars, though it stands on the
Auditor rolls at something like three hun
t dred millions, or about one-third Of the
true valuation. Consequently, the people
seem to be burdened by tax three-told
Ai;gheT than is the fact. An u1inoisan who
pays fifteen mills Of State and county tax
is looked upon as an oppressed being by an
Ohioan, who only renders unto Cesar
five mills, when the truth is the former
only pays fifteen mills On one quarter Of
his property, while the latter is taxed Oh
all he is worth and really pays more than
the other in proportion to his means.
Many citizens are also deceived by the ap-
parent1y excessive rates and deem them
selves terribly oppressed when in truth
their taxes are quite moderate.
| There is an additional reason why the
Constitutional Convention should decree a
uniform cash valuation as the basis Of fu-
ture taxation, to be found in the var taxes
which for many years, must he levied on all
the States. This year Illinois will be
called on to contribute something over .
million Of dollars to help pay the interest
On the National debt contracted in quel
| ling the Shareholders rebellion. And i
the war be protracted Illinois quota Of di
! rect taxes, may be much more than mil
lion year. In yiew Of this addition tt
our State taxes, the mode Of assessment
should be made as equal as possible, SO tha
! every citizen may have to contribute hi
+ due share in proportion to the amount Q
his property. The more nearly this i
done IT, less will the people complain, AMI
F / the lighter will the load feel on th
shoulders Selfish as men are, yet afte
? all they love equity. To accomplish thi
: end, equal taxation, it will be necessar,
, for the Convention to insert clause in Ii
q Constitution providing for the election {
i a State Board Of Equalization, consistin
i Of, say, one member for each Senatoria
4 district, to meet at the capital as often q
d real estate is valued, which might be one
= in every five years. It would be the dut
t Of this board to fix the grand aggregate {
i the State, and equalize the returns Of til
e various counties, and also to adjust th
IT relative value Of live stock, vehicles an
e other articles. a basis. having been ono
J. established, there would be but little diff
II Guilty in the future, a general provisio
~ IN the Constitution is all that will be nece
10 sa1y. The Legislature would provide IL
D. details and reduce the idea to practic
ofI The subject Of correct and equitable ST
nj TEN Of taxation is one in which every ms
g. is interested, and it should occupy the car
~ full attention Of the Convention