The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-21
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Judge Snow Still DelVing In
Them.
What We Pay In Taxes Per
Capita.
Cost of ths Election Law.

tuSuI tu5J VIII ply tNoA hS4A'7h "
} cations to the utter distraction OF the
wise and coed. The bad will over
come the good. The race will ROT
and die. Means which preserve the
good and diminish the bad are vir-
tuous Money or time spent in aid
of the good is not spent entirely in
vain.
You see, Mr.. Editor, l have called
ugly things by ugly names. l know
70 better.
As to the unfortunate insane and
the unfortunate poor, we have them
always with us; and to relieve them
when needy ia only humane act,
Christian duty. Enough OF this. l
proceed to the reports again:
Thrd-The Amount of Tar per Capita.
There is nothing in our law which
shows the number of persons in the
Territory st any given time. The
census taken by the United States
every ten years affords an aid on this
subject.
The census of 1850 showed inhsbi-
tants in the Territory of little more
than 1000; in 1860 OF little more
than $4,000. and in 1870, of little
more than $1,000. If we assume the
increase since 1870 to be about as
formerly, we may now estimate the
number to be about 40, 900.
The taxable property in the Terri
tory in 1850 as valued, was about SOB
to the person; in 1860 about $3.50; in
1870, about $3.50. In each of these
cases l speak from recollection. though
I then examined this subject.
1 now find from the auditors
report there was in 1873 q little
more than $24 100000 taxable
property in the Territory. In
1879 the amount had increased a
little more than $500, 900. Taking
as basis Of calculation 10000 in
habitsnts in the territory, and we
now find 5000 taxable property as
assessed to the person. This | re-
specially submit is very small. The
State of New York and the State OF
Massachusetts, each, in 1870, had at
least three times as much, and could
tax themselves three times as high
per capita IS we tax ourselves with
out feeling it more than we feel our
tsxes.
Again, the territorial taxes are six
mills on the dollar, and the counties
may tax for county purposes six
mills more. The auditors report
shows territorial taxes for the two
years (see DIP. 2, 81 to he in round
numbers $4,000. II We assume
that each county exercised its full
power of taxation-their reports not
showing how it was with them-we
have for the territorial and county
taxes for the two years $592, 900.
II we further assume that in
hsbitants OF the cities tax
themselves under their charter
to five mills on the dollar,
and that half the taxable property is
in the cities, We have the further
sum taxed for city purposes OF S148,-
600 in the two yesTs-in all $40, 900,
equal for one year to the sum OF
$3.50, 900. This divided in proportion
to the number of persons before esti-
mated and we have a little more than
$3.50 per annum per capita. The in
habitsnts of Nevada, the highest
taxed state in the Union in 1870,
taxed themselves a little more than
$40 per capita. I respectfully sub.
NIT that $3.50 tax per annum per
capita is very small. This you will
reneu.b Der includes al kinds OF tax
alton except to build schoolhouses
and small poll tax to repair roads.
Again, in 1870 the assessed value Of
the taxable property in the United
States was thought to be only
about half It's cash value. II 30,
and if our assessors have valued
cur property in the same
way in 1883, then the cash
value of our property is about $48,-
600, 900, equal to about $400 per cap
its. This, however, must be received
with many grains OF allowance. In
1873, three years after the census was
taken, severe financial depression
ensued and real estate in the United
States diminished in value nearly,
perhaps quite, one-half. In this ter
ritory at that time business was flush
and active, and the cash value OF
property here was nearly double what
it wss in 1878 9.
Another view of the case. In 1878
the taxable property in the United
States, as returned by the United
States officers, was: Real estate, two
thirds, and personal property, one
third. If our taxable real estate and
our taxable personal property bear
the same proportions to each other,
then our real estate pays tWo-thirdG
Of the taxes above mentioned, and
our personal property oue-.hird.
Our citizens may be in debt, but the
territory is not, nor is any county OF
city to an amount worthy of being
mentioned.
These things collectively show ar
increase in both numbers and pro-
perty, and that the increase of pro-
perty more than keeps pace with
the increase in numbers. Very good,
but We are still poor. very poor. Ye
the financial depression has not en-
tirely ruined US.
Fourh-Amount Paid by the Countis
for Carrying into Execution the Re
gistrGtion LaaO Of 1878.
The expense by this Law WAS LEI
for the counties to pay. So
proceed from the county reports
n BEAVER.
5 See p. 8. $500
D BOX ELDER.
See PIP. Sc, 1873, 91.5O
1879, $3.50 947. i
n This is entered in the report
< under the head OF Elec-
ton Expenses and may
include items other than
registration.
10 CACHE.
IS See D. 8, 1878, 1900
.r 1879. 428,40 COS
DAVIS.
See p. IL. 1878. $3.50
1879, S57.45 4S1 6
See o. IA, 1878, $500
/. 1879, 4S4.10 $685.