The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-10-29
Official Press Of King County.
Monday, October 20. 1877.
THE RIGHT AND WRONG OF
TAX SALES.

ma 0A01SS"
Hanfnrd's bill to provide for the
assessment aud collection Of the reye-
nus is very carefully prepared ard
rnethoiical document, clear III its pro-
visions. ard If it becomes law, calcu-
lated to imp.rt precision and certainty
ia the operation Of collecting the rev.
enue. Owing. however, to the Pro-
crustcan limitation Of the Legislative
session to 40 days, we question whether
amidst. the crowd Of bills thai have
BEEN introduced. there will be time AZ
fordcd for ~ thorough consideration
and digestiDg Of this subject NJ its
importance demands.
In il thare are several Foundations
principles on which all statute reguls.
tions must be based. As the Constitu-
ton psovidsc that all taxation shall DE
uniform and equitable. it follows that
tho regular payment Of those taxes ia
equally obligatory upon all. and the
power Of the State to enforce that pay
n,ent promptly and inAsxibly. unquss-
tionable. whencc. it depends that the
power 70 take and sell property on
which payment of yightful taxes is lie.
faul.cd or refused. in satisfaction there
for, Is equally undeniable. The pro-
ccedure in the levy aud sale for taxes is
always to he presumed strictly reg
ulsr aud correct. The States official
transfer Of property thus sold is en-.
titled to rank as among the most indie
feasible muniments Of title on the rec
ords. Therefore il is wrong IN princi-
pie. rs well as inconsistent for the
statute to depreciate the securities of its
own creation, thereby impeaching its
own validity by authorizing such in
vestments in the event IL redemption,
to bear an abnormal rate Of iaterest.
IL or 10 per cent. per annum il high
enough as . rate upon State securities.
even in this country and thcss times.
Of oourss the rate ought to be high
enough TO be an iniuccment to invest.
ms0t, but IT il = we'll known law OF
finance that the risk is estimated in n
compound ratio to the rate Of interest
preferred.
The main object Of statute on this
subject is to secure the payment to the
State of its delinquent revenues. that
it may not be defraudcd through dis
honesty or overwhelming avarice. 1t
should therefore be framed directly to
this end. The process Of perfecting
AID OF instituting title should be rem
dcrcd ~ simple rs consistent with eff.
cscy and burdsned with as little dead
expense rs possible The conditions Of
property in n Territory. where land is
much and money is little. or. by conse.
Quence, where land is cheap and money
10 dear. are very different from those in
an old State. and in order to secure the
collection Of taxes with, certainty by
sale. the law must of necessity be drawn
~ strongly as possible in favor Of the
tax purchaser, alike in its provisions,
construction and administration. There
must be sanction Of primo .Jaeie vail.
dity attaching TO tax deed in and Of
itself. which cannot lightly be ques-
toned. and stall less, easily impaired.
The statute Of Limitations must b
charged With the complete curing Of
any quasi.iefscts of such titles il the
shortest equitable time compatible
with the spirit OF the common law.
A law. in this country, which
would load the initistion Of tax titles
with dimcalties or costs at the outset.
would simply render the payment Of
tho taxes . matter Of local or individual
option, altogether.