The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-07
The A.sessInenl Of taxes.


We observe that closer effort than
ever is to be made to get at the per
sonal property Of tax payers in Cincinnati.
Assessors are to get lists Of securities and
valuables on depositwithSafe DEPOSIT com.
panies, with view otcomparing the owner.
ship of these articles with the returns of
taxable property on the part Of the owners.
There is great complaint in Cincinnati, as
there is almost everywhere else, about the
inequality and dishonesty OF returns to the
assessors. Good citizens who make their
returns honestly feel outraged that they
should be called on to bear an undue share
Of the public burdens owing to the dis
honesty Of their neighbors. They demand
more vigorous measures for unearthing the
property Of the dodgers. They say, and
justly too, that il all citizens should make
fair returns the rate of taxation could be
reduced, and so the burden lightened upon
all, As it is, the burden is increased upon
the honest portion Of the community and
llghtened upon the dishonest. A premium
is thus offered for dishonesty. The honest
man has no other consolation than the APP
probation OF his own conscience. He car
ries about with him the reflection that he is
the victim Of his dishonest neighbon.
One reason why 50 much personal
property escapes taxation is that the men
appointed to list it are incompetent for
their work. They are not experts but ncv-
ices. They know very little about the
status Of property owners in the commu.
nifty. They are green in the business in all
respects. They do not know how to 90
about discovering the property they are re-
quired to assess. All their information is
Of the most superficial character. They
are often not even acquainted with bust
ness matters, have no familiarity with in
yestments and are easily put of with any
sort OF a return. Many Of them cultivate
popularity ut the expense Of their sworn
duties. They like to stand solid with
every tax payer whom they approach.
This is their primary object. Consequent
ly they only skim over the field and in
numberless instances never get below the
surface.
All this delinquency and dishonesty on
the part Of the assessors falls at last upon
the Yell.meaning portion Of the commu.
nifty. The State, the county and the city
get their taxes as a matter Of course, but
the constant tendency is to cut deeper and
deeper into the bona dde taxpayers. No
matter who pays the taxes, the public
treasury is bound TO have enough, let it
come from the many or the few. II one
rate Of taxation will not produce the re-
quired amount, then an additional rate
will BIO put on next year, and further rate
the year after. The taxes must come from
some source, We have IN illustration Of
this in the law just enacted by the West
Virginia Legislature for reassessment Of
the real estate Of the Commonwealth. 1t
Is simply an indirect method Of raising the
rate Of taxation, II this method does not
produce the required amount Of revenue,
then the next step will be direct increase
in the rate.
There are economists who hold that all |
taxation should be levied on real proper
ty, and that this taxation would distribute
itself among the owners and renters Of
property. This is not fair argument,
however, as. q millionaire might live in a |
house worth $4,000, and his tax on this
property would represent very small
portion OF the tax that he is justly entitled
TO pey.
The fact is that there is no iairer theory
OF taxation than the present system, which
aims to lay the burdens Of government on |
property, where they are fairly entitled to |
rest. But the difficulty Is to get at person.
Al property live had experts in assess.
mentz-honest, fearless and intelligent
men-at least twice as much personal
property would be listed in every city,
town and country district Of the land as
the books show to-day. In many cities
half dozen times as much would be
put on the books. And the
result would be that taxes everywhere
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