New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-19
4 FELLACY,

The want OF some standard Of sound
legal and political economy is CONSTANT
felt among US. The Picayune complain
that
Property or REAL estate is assessed an,
subject 10 taxation, which actually yield
no revenues whatever and bears only
valuable confederation when capable o
alienation or sale.
| And. we infer, thinks that such unpro
ductive property or real estate should
not be subject tc taxation" The fal}ac,
Of such doctrine must on reflection be
apparent. We agree that the assessment
of all property should be in strict con
fornlity to its marketable cash value" as
stipulated by the Property Holders Asso-
citation; bu: We see no reason why an un-
occupied corner lot should be exempt from
taxes because it is not productive Of rent,
than that g diamond solitaire or cluster
| should go tax free. Property of all sorts is
! worth something TO the proprietor. 1t may
! BIS worth one thousand dollars to-day. and
Tomorrow its upper surface may cave into
the river. The tax one day may be one
hundred dollars, and the next the assessor
can not find and therefore can not tax it.
Lots may be unp,oductive Of rent. The
owner may hold them from inability to
improve OF in the hope that they will
some day come into market. They should
be assessed fo- just what they ought to
sell for in the sworn opinion Of the asses
sor, but the public should not be expected
10 carry those lots tax free for the owner
until his expectations shall be realized.
4 tailor, a drayman, or notary, may
10 taxed for license to do business.
The drayman may lose his mule and
dray. and the tailor OK notary may be
drafted into the army or disabled from
work. Would the license money Of either
be refunded? We apprehend not TIE
city administration has argued, through
its attorney, that the city government
mus: be supported, and, therefore, there
can be no property dead-headed upon the
tax registry. The idea of the Picoyune
seems 70 be that unproduct;ye property
shouid be exempt from bearing any share
Of the public burden. We have seen it
proposed elsewhere that taxes should be
alone collected Of rents OK revenues Of
property. This would be unreasonable.
i State guarantees the title Of o swamp
lot OF the rights Of q paralytic pauper,
alike with the best corner property, or the !
most skilful workman in the city. It op-
presses no one and exempts nothing.
Taxation, say all American constitutions,
must be equal and uniform.
1 I. is further to be remarked that society !
is interested in the utilization of all its
resources. If property, from any cause,
has fallen into hands that can not Of will
hot use it, society is concerned that this
shall change hands. 'If,' said
the ocarde1 at the Kentucky hotel. 'you
can. run this concern on time, you had
better sci, out to somebody that can" II
a property holder will not or can not rent
his tenement for & price that will pay in' !
terest, repairs and profit on what it cost
him, there is no reason the property |
should be exempt from taxation because |
the owner bough: or holds it too high. It
is better for society that it should pass |
into other and more active hands at the !
true value Of the property, whatever that !
may be.
It is fallacy. therefore. to say that un- |
productive property should not pay taxes.
I. should be taxed al s'alorem, honestly !
and leniently assessed. The whole tax |
theory Of Louisiana requires review and |
an adjustment upon the uniform and |
equal values OF property, and upon the
legitimate interests Of labor and enter