The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-02-12

lection Of the conversation at the cabinet
meeting.
Secretary Browning gives . report Of the
conversation which took place, which is en-
tirely favorable to the Presidents statement.
Secretary Seward also gives in detail his
own recollection of the conversation. He
says the President, d the cabinet meeting
referred to, made Q statement OF the under.
standing between himself and Gen. Grant,
according with the version given By the
President. But he (Seward) did not under
| stand Gen. Grant as denying or explicitly
admitting the statement in the form and full
extent in which the President made them
Grants admission of them was rather indirecs
and circnmstantial, though he (Seward) dld
not understand it to be an evasiye one.
70 Poor Mem and Small Tax Payers.
"A Moline correspondent of the Union
knocks the wind out of the argument that
poor men should vote debts upon the people
to build railroads, as follows:
To THE EDITORS OF THE DAILY UNToN.-
As there is great interest manifested by
our citizens in the discussion of the impor-
lance of decided action to secure the com
pletion of the Peoria& Rock Island railway,
perhaps it is well to give the views of large
number of tax payers and voters regarding
it. While its importance in the way of
competing route is admitted, as we'll as a
direct saving in freight and passenger rates,
also, the increased business and value to the
city, in the way of enhanced valuation OF
real property, yet the burden falls mostly on
those of small means, who have no increas-
ed facilities to pay their taxes In the spring
time the assessor calls and views the poor
mans house and lot and scanty furniture,
and cow perhaps, and rates them at the high.
est figure, while many of the wealthy citizens
endeavor to conceal all they can from the
officers observation, and are not rated for
one-fourth Of their Just valuation. One case,
in illustration of the above assertion A. b..
states that he has property invested in his
business to the amount of $l5O,000. This
is verified by an affidavit, subscribed by all
the members of the firm. When the asses
sor calls on him he gives him as his valua-
ton $1,000. The officer knowing the
amount employed to be as they stated under
oath. refuses to accept. and states that he
shall not take any such amount, and that he
cannot consistently with his duty and oath
make the valuation less than SIS, 900, which
uS uoCSy dAu hOtIIcS hCGUT0IHSA :.
Wha. is the result? A. B. & c. D. appear
before the Board Of Supervisors and state
that the valuation is too high, and that the
assessor raised the valuation without their
knowledge or consent. and in direct viola
ton of law. Our board reduced the amount
of their assessment $4,000, or seven-thir
teenths of the whole. This case shows, one
third of the true valuation being the basis
of rating property, that the above firm pay a
tax on 81 900 instead of $4,000 as they
ought. making loss to the State and county
of nearly $4,000.
The above is only one instance of the in
equality and injustice of our revenue laws,
and when those persons who are most bene-
fted BY public improvements of this charac.
ter, refuse to bear their Just burdens III the
matter, no wonder that the small tax pay
ers and business men stand aghast and de-
hberate on the propriety of fastening upon
themselves debt which they feel they win
be compelled to pay, while those who ought
to bear their proportion, shirk ont.
When the same party was before the town
council for abatement, in reply to question
las the value of their money and cred
its" the reply, with the utmost sang .froid,
was 81 don't understand monies and cred,
its are taxable under the laws of the State OF
ulineis-;,,v + 7seee.E t'1
Personally, I am in favor of using all
means legitimate to secure the road yet it
is well enough for it to be understood in this
community and county, that if the project, so
far as this city is concerned, falls to the
ground, it is from want of confidence that
our heavy capitalists, manufacturers and
other business men, will bear their share oil
the taxation incident thereto. For years,
when an assessor conscien,iously tried to
discharge his duty, he was an object of per.
sonal hatred to some Of our tax payers and it
is well known in Moline to-day that when an
officer tries to do his duty honestly, he be.
comes personally offensive to all those de
sirous of evading and breaking the laws, and
no pains is spared to SANDER and secretly
attack his reputation.
The matter has resolved itself into this
shape: If the tax payers who own the bulk
of the property and do the business of No
line in substance, will satisfy the community
that they in future are willing to bear their
fair burden of taxes hereafter, then vote
to raise $50. 900 in aid of the road can be
carried, and if it is defeated, they will at once
have to bear the responsibility of its defeat
IA word to the wise ought to be sufficient"
FERITAs.