The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-05-31
EQUALIZATION OF ASSESSMENTS.
To the Farmers of La Sale Coun,v

| To the Farmers of La Sale County
No one among us wishes to see mis- own
property or that of his heighbors improperly
cqualizcd. He submits to the wrong only
because he cannot see any way by which il
can be avoided. The publication of q sys
TEN of management of county equalization
reports has tendency not only to render
equalization faithful, but educates the public
mind up to the capacity to judge whether
they are well or badly conducted TO be I'm.
derstood, the subject must be studied TO be
studied, the public must have access to infor
nation to whatever experience has developed.
The reports of every Equalization Board
should be the mirror of its internal organiza-
ton and management. These reports should
annually go into the hands of every farmer,
and, soon vigilance committee would be
found, IN every county in Illinois, embracing
every person having "A pecuniary interest in
the success of more equitable system OF
equalization The advice and opinion OF
such committee practical farmers) would
point out path of duty from which Equal.
cation Boards could not devate
In Judging, therefore, of the benefits flow.
ing from any public management, it is reou.
site to consider them not only bv themselves
but as contrasted with others.
Let lis investigate and reason for ourselves,
Horses are more uniform in value than anv
other kind of property in the state. The as.
sessed value Of horses in La Sale county is
S25,96. Then the Board added AZ per cent.
making the equalization value $37S includ.
ing brood mares, yearlings, two and three
year olds. In Cook county adult horses of
the very best quality only are assessed at
S2S.S2. Board added 5 per cent, making
equalized value $30261 Brood mares, year
lings, two and three year olds are equalized
$3.50 higher in La Sale county than the
best selected horses of Cook county In
comparing the equalized value horses in La
Sale county, S37S6, with the equalized state
value, $25l515 we find difference of S12-
7Oss. So La Sale is equalized nearly u
times that Of the state equalized value SO
much for horses
Cattle in La Sale county are assessed 1891.
adding AZ per cent, the eQualized value is
Sl26522 while the state average is $50
difference is $4,000, excess in La Sale Co.
Addition to personal property in La Sale
county, $S10913. On railroad property S2S4,
G13. On lands, $2,006455, making $3,sO6.33s
addition to the ortginoy assessment of La
Sale county With the next assessment two
or three times higher than the last Where
are the taxes coming from? The farmers
must answer. Will the farmers be able to
respond next winter when the tax collector
comes around?
| send you for the consideration of the tax
payers the legal opinion of Hon. a. L. Knapp,
taken from the tri-weekly Chicago Times Of
May 21st:
The Hon. A. /. Knapp, one of the ablesl
lawyers in Illinois, has given legal opinion,
1t the instance of the corporate authorities"
If Springfield, to the effect that no assessment
IF taxes for 1878 can be made under the out
'agcous act known as the taXeaters' act, or
: House Bill No 300," for the reason that the
lct will not be n law until the first of July
For one year, therefore, may city taxpayers
nope to escape the consequences of that afro
'ious contrivance of Il telonious intent. In
he meantime, tax payers in every city who
object to being robbed by their own servants,
should take steps to demand of the Legislature
he repeal of the villainous enactment
1t seems to me that if the city tax payers
lope TO escape the consequences of the oh.
loXious law, there may be chance for the towns
nd counties also TO be exempt from the out
ageous steal. JOHN S. Armstrong