The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-08-23

AUDITOR SoURBEcK has labored
through his administration to have the
Pennsylvania Lessees Of the Fort Wayne
railway pay their share Of takes in this
State. Our readers are aware that the
law requires each spring a meeting Of
the Auditors Of the counties through
which the road runs, at the largest town
on the line. This meeting always takes
place at Canton, and their duty is to as
sess and apportion the value Of the rail,
way through Ohio for taxation.
Prior to last winter, the magnates Of
the rail could take an appeal to the State
Auditor which they were aptt to do when
the action of the Auditors did not suit
them. This was the case last year. Mr..
Sourbeck was one Of the majority of Au'
ditors that spring who assessed and APP
portioned the value of the railway for
taxation in each county much higher
than ever before. The railway mag
mates took an appeal from the Auditors
decision to the State Auditor.
In due course of time the State Audi.
tor at Columbus reversed the decision
of the county Auditors, and ordered the
Auditor of each county along this line
of road to pay back to the railroad com
pany good portion of the tax collected.
This sum, thus refunded from the Stark
county Treasury, was THREE THOUSAND
TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN DOLLARS AND
FOUR CENTS, and each county had to re-
fund similar proportion OF course
this amountwi have to be made up from
other taxable property in the county.
Mr. Sourbeck and others brought this
matter to the attention of the General
Assembly last winter, and an act was
passed, taking this dangerous power
away from the State Auditor, and con-
ferring it upon board of equalization,
The State Auditor is but man, and
not as well qualified usually, to judge of
such a matter as the county Auditors
who live upon the road and for him to
reverse their decision is surely assuming
lofty powers, and certainly to the injury
of the individual taxpayer. We
would not have a railway company
pay more than their fair share of taxes,
but they ought to do that Although the
railroad company discriminates against
points that have no competing lines,
county Auditors are not disposed, and |
should not assess railways at high
er value than equity demands.
Auditor Sourbeck is candidate for
re election this fall, and we mention this
bit of history to show the taxpayers of
Stark county that Mr. Sourbeck is not
afraid nor backward to do his duty, even
when mammoth corporation is to be
dealt with
The old actwas passed and took effect
May 1, 1862, about the beginning of the
happy era of Republican rule, when
'hoddy sway was rampant, and general
robbery was being inaugurated by tariff
laws, railroad and credit mobilier swim
dies, &c. The section, VI page 767,
swan & Sayler, reads thus;
Any railroad company may appeal
rom the decision of the board, fixing the
yaluation ofits road as aforesaid, to the
Auditor Of State, within thirty days there
lfter, upon giving such board, or the
President thereof five days notice of the
ime appointed for hearing the same,
he Auditor Of State shall decide all such
appeals, and his decision shall be final.
The above shows the one man power
hat the act oflast winter repealed-and
which Auditor Sourbeck, by his indie
endent course, was instrumental in !
hanging.