Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-05-24
.Issessn,enis aud 7nrafion.

must pay taxes while he eXercies the
rights of freeman. We therefore
propose TO contribute few thoughts
upon this subject, and il we succeed
in converting any one individual our
duty as a journalist will be discharged
At some future period we will submit
figures in tabular form to fully estab-
lish our Theory, which we also claim
to be founded on the law.
That mems views aud the law in
reference to taxation are wonderfully
perverted, one need but become an
Assessor, Commissioner or attend an
Appeal to fully learn. Those, there.
fore, who advocate low assessments
pervert all law and common sense
bearing upon the subject.
The reader should bear in mind the
fact, that loD assessments produce
high tdrdtion, and that high assess
mentS bring about ioto taxation, and
while low assessments are encouraged
and practiced the poor man will be
compelled to pay 100 per cent. more
tax than equity, law, and common
sense demand. To fully illustrate
this point VIC have several properties
in our minds eye, owned by John Doe
and Richard Roe, situated in one of
the townships of this county. The
former owns farm of 13O acres of
land, with good house, barn and other
wise we'll improved, which has here
tofore been assessed at 5000. The latter
owns house, shop and lot, which has
been assessed at 5000; just one third
the value of the farm. John Doe,
sold his farm last December for Sir
thousand dollars cash. "Dick" Roc
has been offering his house, shop and
lot for sale for a year past, and will
take six hundred dollars, ana those
who have examined refuse to buy il
at that price because he asks too much.
The practical point here is, that tho
farm was assessed at only ten per cent
of is real volue, while the house and
lot has been assessed at thirty three
per cent, and cannot be sold at that.
In other words, while Mr.. Doe was
paying tax of ten per cent on his
good property, Mr.. Roe was paying
thirty three per cent on poor property
over three times. Docs this occur be-
cause he is poor, or is it the fault OF
the law We say neither, but while
loC assessments are advocated and
persisted in this imposition will be
practiced upon the poor man. Had
the farm and the house and lot been
assessed at their real value, as the
law contcmplates, this infamous dis
elimination could not have occurred
because tho moment tho Assessor
would have assessed the house and lol
at 5000, (three times the amount Of the
original assessment everybody would
have said "hold on, that's too high
the property cannot be sold for that
sum" Now, put the same Assessor
after the farm and allow him to assess
it at three times the former assessment
which would make it sl,SO0 who
will now exclaim "hold on, its toe
high" OF course no one, because il
can be doubled up three times again
and will then be 5000 below what il
sold for
The same rule We have applied tC
property in the townships will holC
good when tried on houses and lots il
the boronghs While a $4,000 bricI
house has been assessed Mt abou
$1,000, Conc sixlh,) a $4,000 woodor
ono has hecn assessed at 800 or $500
! Gone fourth)-making difference o
33 per cent. against the inferior prop
erty.
We now make the broad derlara
tion, and we claim that we hav,
proven it, too, that the poor man
the owner of small properiy-wh'
declaims against high assessments, a
he imagines, is fool and the ricl
man-ho who owns large cstatcs-
who hcsitatcs, quibblcs about, or re
fuses to pay his duo proportion o
taxes, is not honest, because he mani
fcstly wants the poor man to help hin
pay bis taxes Such is the fact, anC
will continue to be until Assessors d,
what tboy take solemn oath to do
assess property at its real value. The
rich man might as well ask tho poor
man to help him maintain his family
as to ask him TO help pay his taxes
This he in effect does when he advo
Gates low assessments, aud the poor
dupe accepts the theory and become,
a volunteer advocate for The payment
of other mons taxes.
If there is either law, commonscnsc,
honesty, or Democracy in the theory
Of low assessments, we fail to sec it,
and we now ark the advocates Of that
measure to show us where either OF
those principles end lodgmcnt in
their theory Of taxation.
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Tue RADICAL NOMINEES. The
Radical State Convention which as.
semblcd at Harrisburg last week,
nominated DR.. David Stanton, Of
Beaver county, for Auditor General,