Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-26
TO TAX-ASSESSORS AND TAX
PAYERS.
Important Circular from the Comp.
troIler Of the State-What Is
aud Is Not Exempt from
Taxation.
How Assessors are TO PrOceed-The Law
Plainly Stated, and as ii is I'm
derstOOd In the Execu-
tive Office.
A Paper to be Carefully Read by Every
Taxpayer in the State-The Mode
and Manner OF Enforcing
the Law.
To the Ta1-Assessors and Taxpayers of the

general upon al OOuDBIUl pOlulS PIE
sented to me in the construction Of the
assessment law, / submit the following
for the instruction Of taX-assessors, and
information of the taxpayers OF the
State.
First-Personal property to the value
of one thousand dollars is exempt from
taxation. 1t is therefore not necessary
for the assessors to furnish schedule to,
and require return from those citizens
who have no real estate, and not over a
thousand dollars worth of personal
property. All such, however, should be
reported by the assessor on his assess
ment book for the payment Of poll
tax. Before reporting person for the
payment of only poll-tax, the assessor
should be fully satisfied, either from his
own knowledge or the best information
he can obtain, that such person has no
real estate, and not over thousand dol
lars worth OF personal property.
If the assessor has a reasonable doubt
upon this point, he should furnish the
citizen with a blank schedule, and re-
quire of him a return of his property,
which return, even if it shows no real
estate and not more than a thousand
dollars worth of personality, should be
entered upon his assessment book and
otherwise be treated as any other return
ed schedule, unless the assessor is fully
satisfied Of its correctness. Each person
owning real estate should be furnished
with a schedule, and required to return
his realty. 1t is the duty Of the assessor
to furnish blank schedules to the tax
payers, but the failure of the assessor to
do so does not relieve the taxpayer from
the duty of returning his property, nor
from the penalty imposed on those fail
ing to make a return.
Second-Property is to be assessed to
the party who owned or claimed to own
il on the tenth day of January. Any
change of property or ownership since
that time does not affect this rule.
Third-If religious, charitable, scien-
tific, literary or educational institution
has more than fifty thousand dollars
worth Of property, the excess in value
is taxable, though used for the purpose
for which such institution was created.
Fourth-If an agricultural or mechan-
ical association owns real estate, worth
more than ten thousand dollars, the ex-
cess in value ls taxable, though used for
agricultural Or mechanical purposes.
II the assessor has reasonable doubt
about the property owned by any Of the
institutions mentioned in the third par
agraph being Of less value than fifty
thousand dollars, or about the real estate
owned by any agricultural or mechaE-
ical association being of less value than
ten thousand dollars, he should furnish
to some officer OF such institution or SIS
sOcistion a blank schedule, and require
return OF the property Of the institu-
tiOn or association, which return, even
though it should not exceed the value
prescribed above, should be entered upon
his assessment book, and otherwise
treated as any other schedule, unless the
assessor is fully satisfied of its correct
ness.
Fifth-Any person entitled to an eX-
emPtiOn must claim it in the district or
ward where he resides, or if it is a cor
pOration, institution or association,
where it is located. If such person has
in the district or ward where such ex-
emption is claimed, property entitled to
exemption less in value than the amount
of the exemption, and also property en-
titled to exemption in another district
or ward, he may obtain a certificate
from the assessor where exemption has
been claimed Of the amount of the eX-
emption received on the schedule re-
turned to him, and upon presentation Of
this certificate to the assessor Of another
district or ward where he has property
entitled to exemption, said person may
be allowed the balance of the exemption
to which he is entitled. The assessor
last allowing such remainder of such
exemption must attach the certificate
of the first assessor to the schedule, and
return it, with the schedule, to the
county court clerk. No exemption is to
be allowed in any other district or ward
than where the applicant resides with
out such certificate from the assessor of
his district.
If merchant has not thousand dol
lars worth of ofpersonal property outside OF
his business as merchant, then he Is
entitled to an exemption before the
county court clerk. But, to obtain that,
he must bring to the clerk the statement
of the assessor of the district or ward
where he resides, showing the amount
of the exemption he has received. The
clerk viii then allow him the remain
der of the exemption to which he is en-
titled, and will file with his return the
statement of the assessor. No eXemp-
ton is allowed under any circumstances
on privilege tax.
SiXth-All growing crops, Of whatever
nature or kind, are exempt from taxa
ton. So, also, is the direct product of
the soil Of this State, in the hands Of the
producer or his immediate vendee. The
latter includes crops gathered. In addi-
ton, no article manufactured Of the pro-
duce of this State shall be taxed other
wise than to pay inspection fees.
Seventh-PrOperty must be assessed
in the district or ward in which it lies at
the time Of assessment, except stocks in
banks, banking associations, or other
corporations or jOint-stOck companies,
which have to be assessed in the district
or ward where such bank, banking assO-
citation or other corporation is located.
If personal property has been sold ee-
tween the tenth Of January and the
time of assessment, it must be returned
in the ward or district where the person
giving it in resides at the time of assess
ment. Notes, due-bills, accounts and
like choses in action, in the eyes Of the
law, lie in the district or ward where the
owner resides, and must be returned
there, il he be a resident of the State; if
a nonresident, then in the district or
ward where his agent or attorney re-
sides.
Eighth-If the description Of real
estate cannot be written out, as re-
quired by the law, in the blank form
furnished by the assessor, then the tax
payer can write it out on separate
piece of paper, and make it q part of his
schedule by attaching it to the blank.
Ninth-Under section seven, sub-see-
ton one, of the act, each bank or incor-
porated company must report the
amount of capital stock paid In. Upon
this amount the bank or Incorporated
company is not taxable. But unless
exempt from taxation by some other
law, the bank or other corporation must
also report the items in which said cap
ital stock is invested, stocks, bonds,
bills recoverable, money, real estate,
and other assets, with the value Of each.
The real estate must be taxed as other
real estate. II its remaining assets do
not exceed in value the amount of its
capital stock, they are not taxable; but
if they do exceed in value the amount
of its capital stock, then this excess in
valuation should be taxed. Notes, due
bills, negotiable paper, accounts and
other assets, including cash on hand or
on deposit in this State OF elsewhere,
mentioned in section seven, subsection
four, refer to such as is owned by mer-
chants as well as other persons. 1t is
not necessary 10 return such as are OF no
value.
Notes, accounts, etc, fcr rent Of real