The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1872-09-21

Il sslrsqnsni saiJsei ofoemmsh'
IN reference ~ ihs salssni o. pfofer
IS given w by different individuals
~ ibs asse..mcni rolls. srd iheess-
.ious that are pfaeiissi bY a certain
class Of every community, IN not
giving IL the total value 81 their
property, sI,hough The parties are
under oath. And We call the at.
i%cntion n our readers % Tic list Of
assessment, Of personal tax pub
Iished 10 smother culumn, for proof
shat there l. 0 Wholesale system Of
evasion IN giving a fnli schedule Of
afiEe personal property Of tax
layers. Take for instance The item
Vt pistols, difks and Bowie knives,
ard there Is not q man IN the county
but knows that out OF $3.50 males
bciwesa the ages Of twenty-one and
fNy.fvc, but that there is more than
495 pistols, 8 dirks and 3 Bowie
knives in the possession of this mum.
Der. Again, take the item Of Jew
clry and watches there 10 only $50
watches reported, while there Ger
tamly Il a very large proportion not
reported, because yon cannot often
find family, even including negroes,
but what have from one to five
watches, and in the report Of jew
elry at s2270, one man Flone gives
IN one fourth Of this amount, while
we afe fully convinced that there
are hundreds Of parties owning
diamonds aud other jewclry that is
not reported. And so 1t Is through
the Iist.
Wsiave these objections to this
system Of evasion, whom properly
considered, 1t is a very great viola
ton Of vil,moral and religious duty,
being no less than perjury, ash man
is sworn to give in his entire pro.
rcrty at q lair valuation, and while
there are a class Of citizens who do
fairly give IN their assessments,
there il another class who do not,
aud the result Is that the strictly
honest citizen pays a largo proper
ton OF the dishonest citizens taxes,
ind Il is a fraud, not upon the State,
bnt upon individual citizens, in not
giving in fair assessments, because
the State must have O certain amount
Of money, and they only increase
the rate oftaA to obtain the amount,
If tho assessment Is not full and
complete.
II every man would give in his
property At a fur rate and promptly
ray his taxes, the rate Of taxes
would be decreased, and It would
no less burdensome upon tho good
citizens ct the community. Tho
taxes have to be paid, aud the basis
Of the rate Of taxation Is the assess>
ment rolls, and Il should Be the
bounden duty Of every good citizen
to see that i fair valuation Of pros
perty Is given, and that the whole
amount Of property Is assessed.
There Is an idea abroad Iii the
community that in swearing to as,
sessment Of taxes that the party
may have moral reservations, aud
that he does this per forma, but this
ism error, and a man Is as much
obligated under the solemn sanctity
If his oath to render a just, perfect
snd Gull list Of his property as under
spv oath he can take. We do not
charge upon any particular class OF
the community this state Of facts,
but assas that such a condition of
afiairs docs exist, aud we feel that
It . but our dsty to urge all good
citizens to arrest the influence Of
such unwise and salavfal conduct.
We do not know to whose fault,
this state ot affairs il Aargeable. II
may be that the tax assessor does
not do his duty III hunting sp this
class Of men aud putting the rigid
test ofthe law to them. II sueh is
tho fact, be Is in The highest degree
considerable. 4