Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-27
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION

Inder this same caption we repro.
on elsewhere an article from the
n mphis Avalanche, containing some
De 'sonalities that have no possible bear.
yon the discussion of public ques.
ms. Once for all, we may state that
i'm G. Burch does not represent one
mt of stock in this journal except
"hat he owns. Neither was his name
ever in nomination for Comptroller be
fore the last Legislature; the single
vote cast for him in one of the ballots
was not from friend, as he never al
lowed his name to come up. Again, we
are authorized to state that although
Col Burch has been personally ac-
quainted with r. T. Wilson from boy
hood, there has never been any transac.
ton between them either by sale, loan
or gift.
The AUaIancbe'8 assertion that Mr.
Wilson is chief of the funding ring will
surprise all friends of the present law,
as well as the public at large. With
out knowing whether he took any di.
rect interest in the measure, we know
the general impression was that he
would be formidable opponent to it.
The reason for this was his extensive
,,,,-o- ,1.,,,o 4l,,,y ~ Co... Ill
roads deeply indebted to the State He
is to-day President of one such
road and large stockholder
In others. The cheaper these
roads can buy Tennessee bonds, the
easier they liquidate their debt. Hence,
their managers generally labor to de-
preciate the State debt. If Mr. VIII
son has proven an exception to this
rule, it is news to us. Very likely the
Avalanche is as much mistaken in this
matter as when it states that this same
r. 7. Wilson is the financial agent Of
the State at New York. He does not
now and never has occupied such re-
lation to the State.
Our contemporary is again at fault
when it states that assessments have
been forced up from S272,O00,000 to
S320,0e0, 900. There can be no intel
Hgible discussion when official figures
are thus loosely trihed with. Its
figures give an increase of $4,000, 900,
while the true returns, S30S, 600, 900,
show an increase of only S36,00O,000.
Even this recklessness does not sus-
tain the example given by our contem-
porary of a $4,000 farm being assessed
at SI2,500. This is an increase of 25
per cent, and at the same rate S272,-
100000 would give an increase of $685.
10000, without allowing one cent for
the personal property, notes, mort
cages and bonds unearthed by the new
assessment law. Against this tabled
SIS, 100000, the official returns show an
increase of only S36,0O0,000, the bulk
of which is property that previously es-
capped taxation altogether. This latter
is a feature of the law which the AUd-
Ianehe sedulously forgets on all Occa-
sions.
As to the power of either Comptrol-
Ter, Governor, or other State Offic er
over assessments or assessors, we call
the attention of the AUalaRche to the
language of its particular friend and
champion, Hon. NJ. I. Williamson,
Representative from Shelby in the last
Legislature and bitter opponent of the
Funding bill. In his recently publish
ed pamphlet, entitled Tennessee COM
pared with other States" Mr.. Will
hanson says:
The Importance Of a good and efficient
revenue system has never been understood
III tennessee, and all efforts at reform in
tins respect seem to be pertinaciously re-
sisted. No State in the Union stands more
IN need oil good and efficient revenue and
assessment law than Tennessee. All Ten
nessee can do IS to await the yearly assess
ment, accept of the valuation returned Inv
the assessors, and determine the rate of tax
alton. She is pOwerleSs TO raise, or in any
wise control values. Half the property in
the State may be omitted from the books.
or may be, as it is, entered al half values,
The State officers and officials are poorer
less TO remedy 1t. One county may assess
at full values, another county may assess
at three-fourth values, another at half and
still another at quarter values; the State
officers and officials can do nothing to pro-
duce equality or justice. This inequality
and injustice must still continue
According to the Census Reports, only
two counties in Tennessee, for 1870, assess
at full values, two at nine-tenths Of true
value, one at siX-Sevenths, four at i've
81 he tl,v.aa Of f,r,- Gftbc fan counties