Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-22

49,
assessment TO be made. The Supreme
Court recognizes no such LEGAL distinction
between mares, geldings and mules as will
exempt the last named from taxation.
II. Ia returning the articles mentioned
in the 9Th and Sth sub-sectiOns of section
Z, it is only necessary to give the aggregate
value of each item. In other words, it is
not necessary to give the number and char
acter Of the pieces of jewelry or household
and kitchen furniture, hut simply to report
under the head of iewelry the total value,
and under the head of household and kit
chen furniture, the total value.
10. Sections 3 and 10 Of the law where
they speak of banks or banking asSOcia-
tiOns apply To bank corporations. Section o
is applicable to indiridRdi bankers. Stock
holders in a bank o. other joint stock COM
Dany, must report the number and value of
their shares Of stock to the assessor of the
district or ward in which said bank or joint
stock company is located, and not elsewhere.
Under the 10th section of the law every
bank OF banking association is required TO
keep in its business Office full and correct
list of the names and residences of all the
stockholders therein and the number of
shares Of each, and it is the duty Of the
| assessor Of the district or ward where the
bank is located to thoroughly examine such
! list. for the purpose of aScertaining the
number Of shares OF nonresident stock
holders and to correct any mistakes that
may be made by resident stockholders.
| These shares of stock are reported under
| the 9Th subsection of the 9TH section of the
/ act.
16 Merchants pay their privilege tax to
| the Clerk of the County Court. They also
return and pay their Gd rdlOrem tax on
merchandise TO the County Court Clerk.
/ They also return 10 the County Court
| Clerk the amount and value OF notes, due
1 bills, etc, mentioned-in subsection Of
section I, after deductions hereinafter to be
| specified, which they own as meTchants,and
nav the tax or these also to the County
/ Court Clerk 1t will be seen, therefore,
that merchants make all their returns and
pay all theE taxes as merchants to the
| County Court Clerk. As individuals,
they return to the Assessor and pay to the
Collector.
II. In assessing. under section %, notes,
| due bills, etc, therein mentioned, all bona
Tide debts of the tax payer incurred in con-
Quoting his regular business and pertaining
to the same business out of which arose
the notes, due bills, etc, are to be deduct
ed from the valuation of said notes, due
bills, etc.
Is. Tie schedule of a taxpayer is not
complete without the oath. The law pre-
scribes it, and know of no construction
which can ahrogate it or by which it can be
evaded. Those who fail or refuse to take
the oath. subject themselves to assessment
bv the assessor and the penalties preScrib-
ed b. section "a. By section 5I2 of the
COde,th taxpayer was required TO 'give in
to the assessor a complete list of bis proper
| tv subject to taxation Of every description,
describing his land so as to identify it,
! and by section SIS the taxpayer, If he fail
to give list, was to be assessed a double
tax upon the assessment of his property
made By the Assessor. By section 573 the
taxpayer was required to swear that his
list contained '-all and every item" Of his
taxable property.
Under section % Of the act the Chairman
or Judge of the County Court, the Clerk of
the County Court, the County Trustee,
Sheriff or Tax Collector, shall cite any per-
! son who has not been assessed as cOntem-
plated by law, or who has been assessed an
Inadequate amount, to appear before them
to- be assessed according to law, and such
| officer is authorized to make proper as
sessment. Should it appear that said per-
son did connive at or evade proper assess
ment, said officer shall correct the assess
ment and add fifty per cent to the amount.
| 10. Under section 81 all clerks, clerks and
| masters. receivers and commissioners, are
required to make return of the property,
moneys, credits and effects held by them in
either of said capacities, separate from their
individual returns. Blank schedules should
be furnished to these, and to all executors,
administrators, guardians, and all others
acting in any fiduciary character whatever,
and they should be required to report I'M
der the penalties of the law. The agents
and attorneys mentioned in that section
are the agents and attorneys of nOn-resi-
dents of or absentees from the State.
20. Should the County Courts allow COM
pensatiOn to the Assessors additional to
that allowed by Section a, shall not pre-
vent nor interfere.
| The Assessors are not, nor is the Comp
troller responsible for the law. Their duty
is to see to its enforcement in such manner
rs will most promote the interests OF the
State. without doing injustice to any class
of the people. To those who do not CON-
| prehend the requirements of the act, every
| admissible indulgence should be extended.
! Those who openly defy the law that they
NAV continue to screen from taxation that
portion of their wealth which has hereto
fore been invisible to the public eye and
thereby avoided the payment Of its share of
the expenses of the State, deserve no SYM
pathy from officials nor from those who
| honestly contribute their proportion of the
taxes which 90 to the support Of the gov
| ernment. JOHN T.. BURCH,