Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-01-25
Nonresident Taxes.

The propriety. or the oXpediency of the law
requiring Treasures of towns TO publish lists
of nonresident taxes in the state paper is moi
apparent to any person. II is all wrong. and is
contrary to the general manner of dong public
or private business. No argument for its con-
tinuancc can be drawn from analogy. Ii is both
Hnp!YFl pHl5 Js GeGHe Gi The State Treasurer
in unineorporated places. in the local paper in
the County where the lands are situatcd. Why
not, in such eases, say the publication in the
State paper is sufficient: II is well, perhaps.
to publish in both, but if either j, To be dis
pcnsed with, then it would be the most natural
and ii certainly would answer the end AIMED ut 8.
to publish in some newspaper in the county
where the lands are located, Parties owning
property in any town within the limits OF 4
county look for information i'll regard TO their
property TO persons i'll that county or town.
Their property may be assessed by the County
plantations, and they want 10 know what
amount Of tax is assessed on their property. by
the operation of these officials, and they write
to such persons for the information desired. Ii
they have been citizens of the county or town
where their property i, situated, and they hay e
removed TO distant part of the STATE or out of
it, they almost always take the local paper. and
if the lists of NONRESIDENT faxes are Published
in said paper, why, they obtain just the ntor-
nation they want. They know nothing about
Il .'State paper" They cannot see, and in this
they are not TO blame. why they should look to
newspaper published III Augusta or Port
;,f., in
their property in Calais, or Ea>tport, or Machi-
As. 1t is competent for the Legislature TO make
any journal it plea>cS. the STAT paper; and i /
may some day, possibly, make paper not pub
lshed at the Capital the state paper. But there
is common sense view to take of this question
as of all others, and we need not cite the law
nor lis usage TO find out that view State the
question to any intelligent, unbiased person, Il,
it presents itself and he will in nine eases ont
of ten, say that Treasurers of towns should
puliSh the lists of nonresident taxes in the
county paper. But We can immasine an ob-
lection, just here, although we have never yet
seard any one make an argument in favor of re-
tai, ing the present law. and therefore cannot
anticipate, VIVA. may or will be urged in its fl
ties there are more papers Ian Que published;
and how is a person living at a distance To know
which one of these journals will pubsh t." lit
of taxes: and if lefl to the option of the Treats
urers of towns, will not these officials pabi>h
where they please. and will not thi. discretion
lesson the chances of giving the persons most
Interested the information they need, and there
by defeat the object of publication. Perhaps
so. But why not give 10 the County Commits
>ioncrs authority TO designate what paper, pub
lshcd in Il county, shall be the county paper for
the time being? There are certain matters to be
published In county, by the provisions Of the
law, now, such us County Commissioners az
counts, County Treasurcrs Annual Statement,
Assessment of Taxes for repairs of Highways,
in unincorporatcd places, Petitions for laying
out new roads, &c., Nc., and the publication of
these is left mt the discretion of the County
Commissioners, in part, or with the Clerk of
the Courts or County Treasurer. This matter
should be made fixed for the time being. so
that those interested should know where to find
out all about their property. If any good rea-
son exists why there should be State paper
the same reasons will apply for having Coan-
ty paper: and if we are to have County pa
per, then let town authorities be required to
publish their lists Of nonresident taxes in SUCH
There is just lis much reason for requiring the
publication of all of the official operations of
County Commissioners, in the state paper, rs
there is to require Town Treasures to publish
nonresident lists Of taxes in that paper, We
are not making these remarks with reference to
the TACT whether it will put Il few dollars into
the pockets of the publishers Of local neWspa-
pers, bat we are stating our impressions Of the
law lis it relates to the persons most interested,
the owner, of property who live away from
their properly. Every year, more or less Of
the Town Treasures, either write 10 Us, or
come themselves, asking if they cannot publish
in The, County paper. their nonresident tax
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