Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-12-07
EGualiZe Taxation,

HAAN 81 PSODAC li4dL AS
continuance must result in bankruptcy or
reputation. While the value OF property in
the mining section of the State has been
rapidly depreciating during the past decade,
the rate of taxation has increased with
geomettical ratio. As general thing those
who accumulated wealth during the flush
times" of early days have fled to the cities
with their riches to escape the payment Of
exorbitant taxation, preferring safe invest
ments, light taxation and low rate of in
terest for their money, TO taking their chances
in a section of country which is continually
deteriorating and where the Assessors de-
mands are almost Unsuitable. While this
method of procedure on the part of property
holders may be beneficial to their individual
interests, it saps the life, impedes the progress
and blishts the prosperity of the section from
which they make their exodus. Undoubt-
eddy it is the right of all to remove when and
where they please but We contend that the
support of the Government is & burden which
should be borne by everyone, and that equal
taxation is one of the inalienahle rights of
American citizens. The valuation Of prop
erty should be comparatively estimated
that is, it makes 10 difference whether the
entire property of the State be assessed to
the full extent or only half its real worth,
provided thas the standard Of valuation is
uniform and general. The difficulty is, that
in San Francisco and some of the hourishing
agricultural counties which are out of debt,
property is not assessed for half its value,
and delinquents are not proceeded against
according to law. 1t is self-evident prop
osition that the wealth of State tends
towards the large cities. The assessable
property Of New York city, Philadelphia.
Chicago, and Boston has increased, during
the past five years, twice as rapidly as it has
in the interior of the States in which those
cities are situated. The same is undoubtedly
true of San Francisco, but the assessment
rolls do not show it. The metropolis of
this coast is the great commercial centre
"AAS4 Oil Jul OitS aAio IIlpOllS
have to pass; it is the reservoir into which
the wealth of the country is pouring in
streamlets from every direction; her rner-
chants, manufacturers and bankers are the
recipients of nearly every dollar produced
throughout the length and breadth of the
land; while all branches of industry have
languished in the interior, property depreci-
ated, population decreased and the rate of
taxation arisen to a burdensome hight, she
has extended her limits and rapidly advanced
IN wealth and power. With the exception
of Boston, San Francisco is the richest city
on the continent, in proportion to its size.
Notwithstanding this fact, according to the
returns of the local assessors for the year
lS64-5, the value Of the entire property of
the city, both real and personal. was only
$S1, 100000 Of this amount taxes were
collected on but $4,000, 900, leaving the
of San Francisco is at present valued at
about 800, 100000, an advance of twenty
five per cent. in three years, while her popu-
lation has increased fully enc half. In the
mining region the order of things has been
precisely the reverse. In addition to our
loss of population during the past two years,
property, in some of the mining counties,
has deprecated foe hundred per cent, and
notwithstanding the advance in the rate of
taxation which this deplorable state of affairs
has necessltated, in many instances revenue
enough to pay the current expenses and the
interest on the Indebtedness already incurred
is not,collected. In this county, for instance,
although the rate of taxation for the present
year is four per cent, and but very few
names will appear in the delinquent list, our
outstanding indebtedness will probably not
be decreased dollar. To make the injustice
of the present graduation of taxation through
out the State more palpable, it is but neces
sary for US to state that, notwithstanding the
enormous depreciation of property during
the past ten years, the assessment rolls of the
county do not exhibit corresponding de-
crease. In other words, property is assessed
for more than its real value. When the fact
that the mines, no matter how valuable, can
not be taxed, is taken into consideration, it
will be seen how heavily the burden of ex-
cessive taxation falls upon the comparatively
few who are compelled to bear it. The very
fact that the rate of taxation is so high, pre-
vents the influx of population and capital,
and is the greatest bar to our advancement
and prosperity. As a natural sequence, bus
mess of every description is Frustrated, our
quartz lodges are undeveloped and those who
are able are seeking new fields Of enterprise.
The mining camps, which were built when
our population was double what it is now,
are like large houses with small families in
them-going to decay.
The people of the interior have a night to
demand that measures shall Immediately be
taken to remedy the evils and injustice of the
present unequal system of taxation, and that
if they are compelled to pay taxes upon ev-
cry dollar they possess, others shall do the
same. The only means by which this can be
effected, Is the appointment OF a State Board
of equalization. Such Boards have been
created in the States of New York and 1lli-
nois for the express purpose OF correcting
the false assessments made by the local
Assessors in New York city and Chicago.
A Board of Equalization has the power to
increase or diminish the assessed valuation
of the property of county as it sees fit. In
Illinois, during the past year, the Board