Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-17
ASSESSMENTS FOR TAXES.
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From the Gallatin Examiner.


We are not yet in the Bankrupt Court,
and probably, may not be, but the es-
chutcheon of our State is soiled with the
stain of debts that are not paid, and our
creditors are postponed from year TO year.
We must free ourselves from the dead
weight that presses our credit down, before
we can do anything effectual. But how can
we do this? There is but one way and ttat
is to quit all Of the miserable "tinkering"
that we have been st for years We must
overhaul our whole financial system from
top to bottom and go 10 the root OF it. And
the root of it is the existing plan Of assess
ment by the county magistrates which is
rotten and corrups, and needs the knife.
He is a very unwise legislator who enaCts
laws without bearing 10 mind always thai
human nature is weak and needs watching.
"Deliver US from temptation" contains a
D ipc pie which should never be lost sight
Of in framing laws for the guidance Of pub
lie officers. To a great extent, this is not
neglected. We require all those who
handle public funds to give bond for
faithful discharge Of duty. We do
this for q douOle reason-to insure a
proper accountability, and to keep the Off
Ger honest. We keep az eye On the weak
ness Of the flesh and try TO make him do
right. We should carry the same reason
ing into our laws Of assessment, by Temov-
ing from the Assessors every temptation to
do wrong. Now, there is 10 need Of telling
the members of the Legislature, who all
know the gross dodging ami hedging that is
done all over TeGnesse |hen the Assessors
come TO perform their duties, how it is
done. They all know that it is not fairly
and squarely done. Property is not assess
Ell as the law designs it to be dOne-at lis
fair and honest cash value. There are ali
sorts of ways Of whipping the devil around
the stump. 1t would require column or
so to give the details Of the various lodges.
We won't p8rticulsTiZ9. "You know how
it Is yourself" But they al originate in
the fieshy weakness Of mankind, which pre-
vents US from doing the fair thing. At the
bottom of it lies selhshness Cf some sort
either based Upon m0ney-saViag, or that,
perhaps, worse vice, a fear of doing right
and not getting back into Office again. The
latter is very often the IOOt of tee business.
Now, if we have made ourselves under
stood by the gentlemen of the Legislature,
we respectfully suggest that, starting upon
the principle that human nature needs q
little EolsLeTing up, they put the AK TO the
root and abolish all the existing machinery
of assessment by Justices Of the Peace.
This done, let an assessor be appointed for
each county, TO hold bis Office for four or
five years. 1t would be better if he were
appointed by the Governor, with the ad-
vice of the Senate, and placed under am
pie boGd. Appointed in this manner, he
would be desirabiy removed from local III
fuences, and, in a great measure, indepan-
dent in the discharge of his duties. We
believe that if the Legislature will have the
nerve to take hold of this matter without
gloves, and not handle it "glngerly," and
with an eye single to The public good, (aDd
never once think of the interesting subject
of GLOW to Get Back Again,'') that they
can place our grand old State upon its
legs, and realize the coming Of the day
when our State Treasurer can stand up
like a man when a creditor appears at bis
desk, saying, "Pay me what thou owest."