Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-03
The Question of Taxes. We are

considering the Teinlllal Vi the NhOle
of the personal tax Of MessrS. Geo.
Nerves & Son, levied, and remaining
unpaid for the year 1873. The
grounds upon which the action of the
board is based is, ilIegality, it being
claimed that the board of equalizers
raised the assessment without the
knowledge of the parties assessed, and
therefore the proceedings become
illegal, The amount involved, We un-
derstand, foots up to some $4,000
which is TO be charged over to the county
We can't see the justice Of this 1t
don't look right at all Here We are
burdened to death with taxes and
other liabilities and while the poor
man pays because he is forced TO, the
rich man escapes because he possesses
a sort ofmonied prestige which is mere
tinsel at BEST to-day. If Mr.. Nseves'
taxes are Illegal, so are the taxes Of
dozen other of our citizens. If the
board release MIR n. it is but just that
all be released. We understand that
IG. /. Park went before the Board as
the attorney TOR the parties and lawyer
Ike laid the matter before the body
with fair prospect Of success.
The whole matter savors of injustice
Just such proceedings will have de-
moralized our county and already have
given US bankrupt reputation aboard
1t is perfectly natural for Mr. \. B.
or c. to ''get around the payment of
his taxes, and to do so legally is CON
sidered ao dishonor, but there is no
rule of ethics that will justify what
seems to US, unwarranted proceedings
The question may well be Quito
what will we have come in few years
more with taxes doubling up By sys-
TEN Of non-p&yment Of taxes with a
suspicion OF reputation attaching to
US our public treasures manipulated
by Enthusiastically men, and our
/ County, City and School District paper
hawked upon the streets at mini
mum figure of value :" 1t has been
stated that one man in our county has
paid no taxes for years, except upon
one occasion when few cords of rock
were attached to secure personal
property tax. Utter financial ruin
viii soon be upon US if these things be
persisted az. We believe that Messrs.
/ Neeves & Son have grounds for com
plant. 1T is evident that the ward
! assessors have erred In making their
valuations, aud that Messrs. Neeves
4 Son are assessed out Of proportion.
| We have nc desire to see any man OPP
pressed. We think it would be vastly
| better, if not Inconsistent with the re-
qujrcmepts eff law. to first liquidate
tax Indebtedness, and then bring an
action for recovery of such damages as
have been sustained 1t would be far
better for ali concerned if one assessor
could be invested with authority to
act for the whole city, and thus
secure an equality IN assessment which
it g evident ueeder the present system
IS not secured.
Since writing the above we learn the
County Beard yesterday remitted ST.
1909 OF the vaiuatIan upon which the
assessment IN question was made.
Observation-Disclosures Lodge No.
: i54 of Grand Rapids, declared its in
dependence last Monday evening, and
hencefortk viii bean independent, work
ing organization in the temperance
cause. The exhorbitant drafts upon
!. its ereasary by the Grand Lodge rem
: dered this action imperative. 4 COM
mi,tee appointed to draft consti-
: tuition will report next Monday even
ing, and the new organization be imme-
diately placed upon sure footing, and
put ta running order, Ali who love
the c&vse are requested to be present.
c CURED HER.-An old man up in
G Connecticut had poor, cranky bit Of
e wife, who regularly once week got
: up IN the night and invited the family
I to see her die. She gave away her
{ thiags, spoke her last words, make
' her peace with Heaven, and then about
e s she get up in the usual way and dis
: appointed everybody by going at her
/ household duties as if nothing had hap