The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-04-30
rha A..assmant Of Propertx.

paper That part of it relating to assess
ing at cash value, we may remark, is
not new, the law always having required
this TO be done-yet it never was done, and
probably never will be, Our assessors
ought to follow the practice of other coun-
ties. in order that our county may not be
required to pay more than its due proper
ton of taxes In connection with this mat
ter the following communication will be
found interesting:
THE STATE AUDITOR AND TAXATION.
To the Editor OF the chicago Evening Journal:
The question of taxation is probably the
most important question which concerns
the people of this State and / wish to offer
a suggestion on that subject
The old Revenue law (see Gross statutes,
vol l, page 5S3l requires that real estate
shall be assessed ut its true value in money
and personal property at the usual seinhg
price"
The new Revenue law in force July /,
1872, (see page 337, Gross I'd vol requires
that real estate shall be valued at ITS ialr
cash value, at the price it would bring at
q fair voluntary sale, and personal prop
erty (page 1861 at its fair cash value.
Perhaps the State Auditor can lind an
essential difference in those two statutes,
| but I cannot He says that under the old
law nropertv in this State has been assessed
M cnIv one-fifth of its value, which no
| doubt is true. But the rule heretofore
adopted, of assessing property at one fifth
or one-eighth of its value, has been acqul-
esced in by all concerned, and the machin-
cry of our State Government, so far as 1t
relates TO levying specific taxes, has been
made to correspond with that system OF as
sessments. Now, the State Auditor
maintains, and has issued his circular to
that effect, that the new law must be
literally enforced, and hereafter all proper
ty must be assessed at its full cash value,
This is very great and important change,
and one which, if made at all, should be ac
complished with the utmost care and skill.
1t would seem that the work of effeeting
this change should be intrusted to the best
business men of the State, But these
are not the men usually elected for town
Assessors. There are no doubt some very
competent Assessors, but very many of them
are wholly incompetent TO perform their
role in effecting the great change of which |
aall speaking, L liz lillGlEhCG II tlliH II
this change shall be attempted with the
present way OF assessing property some
body no doubt will get seriously damaged.
Again, it seems to me that before this
change should be attempted, important
changes should be made both in our Con
stitution and in our statutes. The fran
rs of the Constitution of 1870 thought it
necessary to restrict counties in the mat
ter of levying taxes. Section S, article 9,
readst County authorities shall never
assess taxes the aggregate of which shall
exceed IS cents per 800 valuation, except
for the payment of Indebtedness exist
ing at the time of the adoption of this
Constitution, unless authorized by a vote
of the people.
This article was framed no doubt with
reference to the old way of assessments
| If the valuation OF property shall be in
creased five times these counties will be
/ permitted by statute To levy tax OF SO. : )
on each 800 of valuation-a power that
would have been satisfactory TO Boss
/ Tweed himself, if he were running the e.
nances of a county The statute see
page All, Gross, I'd vol. provides for a
twO-mill school tax to be levied upon each
dollar valuation of the property of the
State annually, and you will observe that
this is absolute, whether the assessment
be high or low
The statute also provides that the au-
thOrities Of small incorporated towns may
levy a tax of fifty cents per 800 valuation,
| Commissioners OF Highway 40 cents, and
may be 60 cents, and School Directors s.
on each 800 valuation of the property
within their respective jurisdictions Let
| the valuation be increased FIVE times, and
then said two mill tax will be
absolutely a ten mill tax, and
the said corporation tax might be
/ $3.50, the road tax 81 or So, and the
school district tax $25, making an aggre-
gate, including the county tax, Of S34. D
on each 500 of the present valuation Of
the property affected by said taxes and
/ this does not include town, State or rail
road taxes / submit the question if thi:
! has very comforting outlook for the tax
payers of this State?
| OF course it will be said that the abov,
rates will never be required, and vii
never be levied. If those who have tn,
levying of taxes were honest and capable
this might be so except as to the twO-ml
tax. which must be paid in any event
But honesty and capability are not drug
in the market, and they do not especial,
pertain to office holders My experience
has taught me that those who have tn,
power to levy taxes have most remark
able penchant for crowding the utmOs
limit given them by law Whether mel
are honest and discreet or not, the burdeu
which any man or set of men may, by viz
tue of their position, impose upon tn
people should be rigidly restricted by lay
to the absolute necessities of the case
Now | ask in all seriousness this ques
ton, directed not only to the people G
this State generally, but to General Lippiu
colt himself: Should not the entir
5 machinery of our State Government, wit
} reference to taxation, be altered or amend
ed so as 10 work safely and withou
3 danger in the new order of things propose
e by the State Auditor before an attemI
Y should be made by him or anybody else t
E effect said change? And if said chang
should be attempted without said prepa
ration, would it not cause great damage t
the people of this State? 1t may do fo
r men in humble and private positions to &c
@ crOtchets in their heads, but when ma
holding the position of State Auditor get
d NiOlCitb III ilo iCdu IL may hCilOuSAl IL
jure the whole State We suggest to tn
S Auditor that he should carefully revie
@ his position in this matter, and see if, III
der the circumstances, he should not max
; haste slowly.
It Note-The State Auditor estimates til
c valuation Of the State, under the new rul,
Q $1,000, 10000 two mills to the dollar @
this sum gives $4,0O0,O00 against abol
$l,O00,000 heretofore raised A mo
pleasant consideration, no doubt, for ii
ax-payers TAXPAYER
}, Rich JEwELRY.-When our people {
J. abroad for jewelry there is no better plaC
e to call than on Messrs. J. B. Mayo & G
# Chicago-36O Wabash Av. This firm III
/ port for its own special trade the fine
IS watches, jewelry and diamonds to be ha
is in Europe, and keeps all the best and ric
n est goods made in this country. The
/. chronometers are the standard time for Il
d city and their store one of the most exte
3. sive and elegant in this country. o,
popular townsman, Maj. II. Fl. Mayo, is
n