Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-02-05
New Tax Laws.

A bill is before the Legislature for
considerably changing the laws for
assessing property, and for the col
lection.of taxes and disposal Of delin,
quent property.
The bill is the product Of a com
mittee appointed under a law Of the
legislature Of 1866 lawyers and land
agents doubtless for reforming the
entire system. 1t makes county
Clerks the asscssors-who may ar
range districts and appoint agents.
There are some very curious pro-
visions, some Of them like the late
laws Of Michigan which required a
special meeting Of the legislature to
overhaul and amend and finally to
repeal entirely. This proposed law
provides, among other very cunning
legal tactics, that the lands Of delin-
quents may be decided without re-
quirirg the County Clerk to adver-
tise the unredeemod lists, which
would be the same as 10 allow sher-
ifs to sell the lands of creditors
without giving public notice in the
newspapers. We have no doubt OF
the hostility Of the fraternity known
as the land pirates to the press Of
the Country, but this appears as the
first attempt ut tossing together the
delinquent taxpayers and press fra
ternity, and with ID Of q shake
emptying them PeH nell into the
pockets Of spectators.
The injGsticc of such n proceeding
is so paIpable that there is no danger
Of its adoption or, if adopted its
early repeal and substitution Of some
other law would follow before any
serious action could take place.
Since our residence in the state and
constant attention to the state rove
nue. laws we have known Of several
attempts at legislating for the ben
eft Of legal sharks under pretcnse Of
reforming the tax laws; and accord
ing to our recollection in every such
attempt one Of the prime provisions
was the avoidance ofany publication
of delinquent land lists or other
means for enabling the masses to
know what was going on among the
land pirates and spectators. Very
many Of the rough, rude and hill
land holders are rather ignorant, in
digent, hard Qp and neglectful about
tax paying, and it is the property Of
these persons that the land pirates
are after by means Of these amended
laws-darkness and concealmcnt to
be substituted for the present open,
manly and daylight process of deal
ing with delinquents.
The laws for dieposing Of delin-
quont property are about as near per
feet in Wisconsin as in any State, per
haps all considered the best, tarest
and least complicated. They are
standing the tests Of courts, and the
people are satisfied with them. On
~ one class seem to want any chang
es-that regular old set Of land grab
bers who for life time have never
been known to live and accumulate
estates by out and out, daylight,
stand up and knock down industry
and enterprise.
The assessment and collection laws
are sadly out of tune, especially in not
providing for a full and equal vaua-
ton Of all property-the apprai7e-
ment to be at the full worth end the
fcwost exemptions.
Especially should the assessment
laws DC 10 amended as to reach mon
ey at interest, however and ty what
means soeyer the same is held, wheth-
er by note, bond, mortgage, or book
account. We ccnsure the govern
ment for having at period during
the war, when things looked as dark
as pitch, taken from the people loan
to carry ON The UNDERSTANDING the
same from local taxation. But here
are the ten thousand money lenders
in our midst, chief eomplainers on the
stop Thief principle. who ale never
taxed on their notes, bonds and mort
Cages for state or national purpose.
The proposed new law is all right
for reform IN these latter particulars,
providing it seems fully for assessing
all property at full value and for list
ing the capital ofmoney lenders held
upon bond. mortgage and note.
Thus far we should endorse the re-
forms proposed by the commission.
But the plans for disposing Of delin-
quent property are more worthy Of
being hitched on to Spanish a Inqui-
siti0n.
So far IS cur interest il concerned