Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-09-14
Gov. Hayes.

to injure tho reputation Governor
Hayes. Thcy thought they
had found IL. and Immediately pub
lished TO the wcrld that Gov. Hayes
had made false returns 10 the asses
sor Of the valuation Of his property,
and that some very important arti-
cles were omitted entirely. The
following, from the Ohio State Joun-
al, which has carefully investigated
the charge. furnishes complete ref
utation to the canard, and shows how
the Confederates will stooop to ac-
accomplish their ends;
Now, In order TO present clear
aud connected statement and prevent
confusion in the mind of tho reader,
let us take up these matters and dis
poso of them In regular order, as
they are mentioned in the paper;
l. Moneys, credit, book accounts,
household goods, etc, Let us see
what tho law requires, first, In order
to understand this item. Tho tax
return says, "Value OF all credits, af-
ter deducting bona fide debts" Tho
law ia given by tho State Auditor In
his instructions 10 assessors.
Tho term credits II defined I'm our
tax laws to moan the excess of all
legal claims or demands due, or to
become duo, to tho party required TO
mako return, whether for money,
labor, services, or other valuable
thing, including deposits oa time In
or out of this State, over and above
the aggregate amount Of tsgdt bona
foie debts owing By such party. a
claim payable In money must DO lis-
ted MT tho full sum named In tho
contract, unless the obligor Is insol-
vent. or, for somo reason, tho full
amount cannot be collected; in which
case I, must bo listed ut such amount
IA the party listing honestly believes
can be collected on IL. Ii payable Ia
anything other than money, II must
be listed at tho fair market value OF
such thing. Moneys must be return
ed by parties residing In Ohio,
whether IL be In their possession or
on deposit, or In case Of transitn,
sither I'm or out Of tho State, and
credits must be listod. no matter
where the aviiancn of the claim may
10, or whero the debtor or obligator r
may reside. debts can oi,iybe dest,te-
ted from credits. II, therefore, the
| PARTY owes debts, and has no credits,
he cannot deduct tho amount of his
debts from his moneys, or the value
of any other items of his return; so,
| IL his debts exceed his credits, he can
deduct on amount OF his debts equal
To his credits from such credits, and
thus avoid any return Of credits; but
no cannot deduct tho balance of his
| debt from anything else.
Tho charge IL that Birchsrd listed
40, ,g32 personality In 1873, exclusive
| VI moneys, credits, ETC., and that
Hayes, with tho Same personality In
possession, listed only 81 900 In ls7a.
This IL not truo. BIrchard'a return
included nil notes, credits, and book
accounts. Hayes, In 1874, made NO
return Of notes, credits, and book ac-
counts, for tho simple reason that all
credits were swallowed mp In debts,
| Tho Same was true of tho notes held
by Hayes against parties named.
Tho personality beqncathed to Hayes
was almost entirely bank stocks,
which are paid by thom direct. All
othe personality bequehthed was
notes, credits, and book accounts,
which were more than Offset by
debts.
The one itom Of NIL the personality
| returned by Birchard, $685., was
more than swallowed up by obliga'
tions incurred by Hayes In carrying
out Mr.. T,irchard's projects for the
benefit of tho town Of Fremont
Hayes gave over 10000 or, more
properly, incurred obligations foE
that amount--in that purchase ofsold
Fort Stephenson IA sise for the
town library, projected by his uncle
and for books for tho rame. Tbit
very question came up In the Board
OF EQUALIZATION what has become oI
the 20 ,982 listed by I3irchard? One
OF tho board John NJ. Smith,
Democrat OF high character was
appointed committee to investigate
and he made the examination, and
satisfied himself that the return was
correct, aud 40 reported. Not onl,
a nsjarity ofthe board, but oil tht
county officers, were Democrats. Il
| VIII be seen that the debts moro thar
Offset tho credits under this item, ant
that the return of ~ 900 In 1874 wa
for "household goods" which wor'
not subject 10 this deduction. Th'
increase OF this item to 5000 In 1877
was duo 90 tho increase I'm book
purchased for Hayes private librar.
which might perhaps soil at FronoIl
for 80, 800, after being we'll advel
tiscd. These facts are oil within th
knowledge Of tho President Of th
, | Bank Of Fremont aud others, an
, may easily be verified.
Il 2. Wutches. Hayes never returne
I one watch at 300. lie never had
| watch worth that. Tho return o
|, ways covered thcsame three watche
b These three watches arc worth u