Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-04
Our Assessment Laws.

of Political Economy Indicate that i
is sometimes wise TO suffer the ovis-
tence of faulty law, if of long stand.
ing. rather than change to one nm
tried, desire to give my voice against
Assessment laws; and one that is
very easily discovered, may be called
Double assessment.
This is understood when the asses
sor puts the amount of personal prop
erty against i that he has purchased
with money he loaned of B on the
mortgage that be has on the land Of
A. In this case, both men pay taxes
on the same money, and the law pro
vides no appeal. Another defect or
injustice is seen where a man with
mortgages is allowed to offset five
hundred dollars of the same against
five hundred that he may owe, but
man having no mortgages cannot off
set five hundred dollars Of his debt.-
This is bare-faced injustice to the
property holder. This injustice is
not found in other states. In this
IaS0; anu W WIS SilOl, ulhu WIN
one thousand dollars in personal
property must pay taxes on the same
with no opportunity to offset one
dollar, although be may be owing
one thousand dollars for his proper
ty on which be pages taxes and in
terest.
Would it not be justice, and could
this not be obviated by permitting
all men with five hundred dollars
debts to offset the same amount Of
personal property as is done 10 seve-
raj of our older states? Ii the mon
ey-lender or capitalist can put fzc
hundred dollars OF his debts again, t
his mortgages, ichy not altow the prop
erty holder the same prlUitege ? Now
it is said that this is new state, aud
that is not best to keep changing
the laws. We say rather that be-
cause it is a new state, we would
have them changed and the errors
corrected We desire good, inst and
impartial taxation, because our state
is new That it will lessen taxation
we do not contend, but that the same
shall be justly distributed among
property owners and tax payers, we
sincerely desire. And zee urge the tal
payer to look at this matter in its true
light.
Wisconsin, in order to encourage
immigration, and have its wild lands
settled and improved, employsa great
many agents, and pays a vast deal OF
money for printing and other mat
ters but if it is found that some OF
our laws are so defective that they
operate as discouragements to emil
grafton hither, may it not be said
that all money SO expended is at least
partially thrown away?
That our assessment laws are IN
favor of capitalists is evident from
the success of those men in ovading
the law, and throwing the burden o
taxation upon the less wealthy. The
fact that some men Of our town re
ceiving interest money to the amour
of twenty-five or forty thousand dol
lars, and paying no tdroS, is suficien
evidence that our law is made for th'
money-lender. And if these men o
greater means (and mostly money
too,) are sent to make such laws a.
they consider suitable, they they viii
ever remain, as now, uni ust and op'
pressive to the producer and proper
ty holder.
When we consider that about fifty
men with moderate means OF from
five hundred to one thousand dollars
must be taxed to pay what the CAPT
talist should pay but does not, it il
not a little surprising that we do no
make more of an effort to do away
with this oppressive taxation, or frs
correct the assessment laws. | firm
ly beleive that if these errors wer,
corrected, and the people who nov
pay the taxes and pay the capitalist
for making laws in his favor, were t
turn out and spend time TO correc
these unjust laws, that the majority
of our land and not the minority
would rule.
E And if these are facts which can
dor and reason will not dispute, why
should we not turn out at our mex
convention with delegates that will
nominate a man who can make an(
legislate for the majority and not th'
minority?
What issues beside these may com,
up / do not know, but | well know
that this should not be overlooked
We need a member Of the Legislature
this year that will work, man tina
has decision, man that dare stanC
up before the proper committee ant
work for our interests-somethi 0
the Matt. Carpenter style, fearless 0
= letters of malicious threats, and tru'
when the hand of bribery is opened
to his Wow. And if the citizens 0
our county do their duty We will
have men sent to Madison this yea
that will be heard from with a rims
that shall please and suit the MAORI
ty of tax payers. G. H. f.
Lancaster, June 20, 1871.