The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-01-08
THE DOINGS OF THE COUNTY
BOARD,
To THE EDITOR OF THE Pilot:

LIE EOnOreQ member OF the county
boa-d who sees fit to cross swords with
us upon the doiDgs Of that illustrious
body, is "dying TO know" who o. Moses
is, evidently for the purpose of making a
wholesale personal attack upon that meek
and unassuniDg individual. Even as it
is, he imagines that he scents the author
from afar and INDUCES in silly, effiim-
mate and personal TRADE. Personality,
Mr.. Editor, is always the argument OF q
narrow mind. It requires no culture, no
gentlemnnly traits, no ennobling thought
nor knowledge of the subject under dis
cussion, to become personally abusive.
The most abiect rufian who drags his
polluted carcass across this fair earth of
ours, could easily vanqulsh Webster,
a Calhoun or Schmidt, in a war of per-
sonal abuse or filthy phrases.
We are not of that class. We have
been educated in different school. Our
habits are of another model. a member
of the county board may assume that
role. 1t is probably part with which
he is familiar and one that suits him
well. As for US we are content with dis
cussing the subject at issue, leaving
maudlin personal attacks to those whose
imbecile minds make them incapable of
better things.
Weeks ago we started with the asser-
ton that the county board In adopting
the report Of the assessment committee,
did much injustice to several towns. By
facts and figures we proved it then; by
additional facts and figures we can prove
it now.
Mr.. Johnston gives table, showing
certain sales of real estate for the last
two years. To this We offer no objec-
ton. 1t may be, and probably is, cor
rect; but no one conversant with the
facts will attach any Importance to it.
We never denied that considerable por-
ton of the real estate of the city was too
highly assessed. Indeed, there are sew
eral portions of it assessed for more than
it's real cash value The house and lot
owned by the day laborer or poor me-
chanic is generally entered upon the as
sessment roll for more than its true value.
He is poor, has no political influence, no
friends, so to speak, and the policy of
the assessor and that of the board Of re-
view is to crush him with taxation. He
struggles manfully against it for While,
but eventually the assessor and the board
obtain their object. He is forced to sell
to some grasping Shylock, rs he can rent
much cheaper than pay his burdensome
taxation. From such unfortunate sales
the greater part of the table referred to
is compiled.
But we assert now, openly, emphatical-
" and with all the force at our humble
command, that the Vanderbilts, the AS
tors, the Stewards and the Johnstons,-
the men of power, wealth and influence
do not pay but very small portion of
their just and equitable taxes. Their
valuable estates are entered on the as
sessment roll at figures that ought to
bring the blush of shame to the cheeAs
of the city officials having that duty in
hand. Their mills, their hotels, their
| mercantile institutions and costly resi-
dences are assessed at figures that would
make the most ignorant rural assessor so
mad. We do not wish to be the first to
expose these figures to an outraged pub
lie, and hence, respectfully call upon our
honored opponent to supply them in his
next. Just now we will rest content
with merely drawing comparison be-
tween the real estate valuation of the
city of Manitowoc and one OF the coun-
try towns.
Cato is by no means one of the best
townships within the county. 1t is rated
at the best as second class and it should
be, for it falls far below many of its sis
ter townships in the value of its real
estate. This town returns the total val
ne of all it's lands at 5000, $1,000 while
the value of the real estate of the city of
Manitowoc is given at 81, 065, $4,000. The
reader will see at glance that the great
city with all its advantages Of position;
with all its splendid edifces and with all
its opportunities for colossal trade, is
valued at only about one and one-half
times as much as the insignificant town
of Cato. Of course the impartial observ-
er, no matter where his dwelling place
| may be. will see in moment the out
rageous injustice of this proceeding.
But if wholesale injustice has been
done IN the assessment of real estate, it
is in the fraudulent listing of personal
property-that the city of Manitowoc
| springs to the front (Our esteemed op-
ponent did not "shoot" at this point at
all, owing, probably, to his great scarcity
of powder. The entire value of this
property, including gold aud silver
watches, pianos, melodeons, mules and
asses 1--WE wonder if any city official was
assessed) is set down at $685., 476,00. In
addition to the articles mentioned this
embraces all the goods, wares, merchan-
disc, moneys and effects of the many
| great and small mercantile institutions of
the city. All shipping, whether at home
or abroad; logs, lumber, mechanics
tools, bank stock, notes, mortgages,
moneys: everything, in fact, coming IN
der the law, 1888, 476.00 is the total val
ne of all personal property of every des-
cription which the city of Manitowoc re-
turned to the county clerk for the year
1879. Now let us make a comparison
with another rural and most unfortunate
township.
The personal property of the town of
| Mepma was returnaI OF 310Q orc m Nv