Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-21
HHDEOUS.


IntOIerabIe Evils of our Local Govern
ments-The Latest Excuses Of Power
How the Helpless People are
Robbed
Our local governments are by no means as
stupid as some people have imagined. They
live and learn. Their latest step forward Is
doUT tthat Internal Revenue taX-cOllectors
discovered and pOpulariZed. There was never
a more odious, detestable system of plunder-
ing the people than that devised By ihe Inter
nal Bureau Men abhCr IL and all its hafeful
adjuncts Of spies and informefs. and paid
pimps Of place-hOlders These internal fellows
used to send through the pOst-Othce and by
other agencies, TO frightened, pinndered tax
PAYERS lust ssleh document as that now
issued from the bureau of local finance
TITS A CURIOUS PAPER,
and on its first page the taxpayer hnds
place for a list of all that he has-Of all ''real
estate owned by him on the tenth day of
April, 1872, including mills, factories, cotton
presses, foundries, forges, manufactures, fer
ries turnpike companies, machinery, and all
other improvements on the same, together
with the value OF each"
Not satisfied with this, the taxpayer is re-
4uired, on the second page OF the interesting
paper, 10 III another set OF ruled lines, with a
full description OF real estate in said district
that is undermy (hisl control or management,
istratOF, executor, trustee, or agent, or attor-
ney, on the tenth day of April, 1877 and all
improvements on same as named on page one
and the value OF each, and It's true owner.
On page four of this
DEATH WARRANT
to Memphis prosperity which should never
have seen the light, is a glazing headline,
a Personal property to be taxed" The list IN
cludes everything a man can own while he
lives and goes even for his coffin in the hands
of the undertaken. These are few of the
articles taxed Read, and shudder While you
read: " W atches, plate. teWelry OF all kinds,
household and kitchen furniture Leven
poor hasl-houses are not sacred, car
riages, buggies, harness, vehicles, and all
vehicles for hire, amount Of value OF stations,
mares, geldings, mules, hogs, Johnny Jack
sons, jennets, sheep, cattle, racers, merchan-
disc in store in my own name and in the firm
name (or w1fe's name, solvent notes coupons
ISince city coupons are not receivable as tax
es they are not included (?) I, warrants, bonds,
Judgments and accounts, state, county, city
and corporation notes, coupons Barbour Lew
ISIS or any other man 81, bonds and judgments,
whether owned by myself, or lay partner (or
the wife, property owned a. guardian, agent,
dministrator, executor, trustee, bank stock,
or brokers' stock that's a lick at the little
curbstOne felioWsl, or stock in railroads they
intend to catch Tom Scott, insurance Iinsur-
ance business is to be stopped BY the city
gas lall gas is taxed, except that blown on al
the Exchange Building, STOCK In manuiac-
turing or other Incorporated corporations in
or ouI OF the State, money ON hand, hoarded
In your pOcketl on deposit, or loaned in or
out of the State, whether belonging TO Wild
ows, orphans children, legatees, distributes,
or any person or corporation, and salaries, or
fees and emOluments Of ONCE, interest IN
commission business and all other personal
property not reported above and its value
don't forget the value of anything else you
have, the pOll-tax and all dogs, save one.
EXEMPTIONS.
'sOne thousand dollars OF the aforesaid per-
sonal property, and also the personal proper
ty not enumerated above. As everything is
ais nf
OF human history, the exemptions amount TO
nix.1 Real estate claimed TO be exempt and
its value must be given
THE OATH
Appended TO this catalogue of OGsnses in
the sight OF the plunderers of the people is an
oath declaring that the list Of assets given is
full and perfect, and embraces everything.
We don't see the use of swearing thing that
is palpable on the face Of the papers.
.s A REGULARITY.
II is not a little curious that when making
out the list Of articles and property taxed the
are evidently trembling for fear they may
omit something. But when the list OF exemp
payer can tell from reading the aex-
emptions," what is exempt. He must go to
the statutes 10 see. Our good masters can tell
US on what we are taxed, but are wonderfully
reticent and chary Of printers ink when the
poor are to be told on what they escape the ex-
actions Of the tax-gatherer. It would have
little worldly goods and gear that the poor
man may can his own in this blessed land Of
multiplied governments.
A HIGH HORSE.
The little tax-coIlector then sweIls up into
marvellous proportions, and writes upon the
back of this catalogue Of ways and means of
piundering the people an order g fierce as ten
furies and terrible as hell" He SAYS: "You
are hereby notified and required to make out,
according 10 the within forms, correct state
ment and list Of all property, both real and
that is owned or held By you in your own
right, or as agent, or in any other capacity, on
the tenth day Of April, lS72, giving an accurate
description OF the same, together with the
value Of each, and return the same to me at
my office at -, verified by oath, within If
teen days from this the - day Of May, lS72.
And failure 70 obey this notice, will subject
your property TO double tax"
ACCOUNTABLE.
AS inal clincher to the foregoing demon
stration OF the necessity for reform IN local as
well as federal systems Of government, the fol-
lowing appears as the conclusion Of the ctrcu-
lar:
q ANY person that willfuily makes a false
affidavit as to the amount or value Of his real
or personal property is guilty of perjury, and
it IS the duty OF the assessor 70 report all such
cases 10 the grand jury. And where any tax
payer fails or refuses TO furnish correct state
ment and list of all his taxable property, as re-
Quired by the above notice, il is The duty of
the assessor to assess his property at twenty
dVe per cent above its cash value; and where
any taxpayer fails or refuses 70 furnish the
same upon demand made az his residence,
then it Is the duty of the assessor to assess his
property at double its Valne."
l HARD SWEARING.
No landowner is qualified to swear as to the
value of his homestead, and he should not be
required to take such an OATH II is often tenfold
more valuable 10 him than to Others II Is his
home, with all the hallOwed associations of
home. There his children were born and
reared, and the best beloved may have died
and been buried there. He knows not how to
fix price upon It. And yet this barbarOus
law tells US that the taxpayer must make
oath as 10 the value of his real and personal
property. The state only asks to know the
horses and dry goods. The owner of a home
stead may know that the cash market
value of his home is only ten thousand
dollars, and yet ne knows that If
twenty or thirty thousand were offered for it,
he would not sell. Therefore the necessity for
assessors. Suppose the land landowner value /
his home, under oath, at its true cash ex-
changeable value, ana u 0e ascertained that
sum for the property, then the illustrious tax
grabber and the law under which he acts, tells
ed and disgraced by criminal court Tax
payers VIII take no such Oaths. The assess |
ment books are in the courts, and are stand
ards n pall1a perfect enough for the city and
county, bo.h af which have assessed property
twice as high as aly other civilized cavern |
ments have ever done.
THE REMEDY.
Isn't 1t time, Messrs. Editors, that we had
overthrown and merged into one another
some of these local governments2 The school I
system is growing In It's usurpatiOns, and will |
steadily grasp more and more II until II will |
become rs intolerable ascpr whole municipal !
muddle--the most magnificent sNindle Of the |
ags. When aad how are, We % Knock the
monster Of robbery and PlHnf5,e9gg 9P lAe bead