The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-11-23
rmR aleRTGAcn TAX LAW.

We had supposed The principal OBJ
jsosions to the mortgage tar Law had
been fully answered TO the satisfaction
Of ell reasonable and nnsslfsh minds. /
but tho Willamette Farmer comes fer
ward, being called thereto BY the
resolutions OF the Linn county 2. of Il.
advocating fair trial Of the Law. and
rehaahes the old objections TO the law.
The objection that money Is assessed
at ita true value, that Il dollar for
dollar, while real estate Is assessed st
half or three-fsurth Of It's cash value, Is
not tenahls for the reason that this was
the cass before the passage Of the
mortgage law. It isa well known fact
that bsfsre the passage Of the mortgage
law that money lenders and others who
held promissory notes were IN the
habit Of negleOting TO give in these
notes to the assessor and hence tho
values they reprepresented escaped tax
alton. The Farmer complains that thin
Law is an inducement and temptation
to selfish and conscienceless taxpayer
to commit perjury, but the experience
and observation Of assessors fully beal
"a out in the statement that far mor'
perjury was committed under the el'
law than under the new. It was =
lprevent perjury and compel men 9
give in eli their property 70 the assess
or that tho new Law was passed. Per
Jury under the old law was . cryinl
evil and shame. There Il now publ
record Of much of the property whicl
under the old law escaped taxation. ]
was the refusal Of holders of notes I
! lizt them to tho assessor which super
induced the assessing Of real estate q
less than its true value. This va
\ done in sslf-defense, 40 to speak. Thi
J course, Of course, had no justification
but it was what would inevitably 70
low the dodging of taxation By capita
Cur position is that real estate shoul
Be assessed at what 1t Is reasonabl
werth and cash at dollar for dolla
: This Is just and equitable. The vair
: sf land Is liable to fiuctnate, but il
1 Ione of those unforeseen consequence
fer which remedy cannot DO ha'
While the nominal value Of dolli
does not change or fuctuate, ret j
: purchasing pewsr Is subject 70 As man
ehanging conditions as land itself. II
truth l. that al trouble and disputatic
abouttax laws spring from feeling th
tae disputant viii be required TO p
more taxes than bis neighbor, or "a
the lav operates % as to prevent pc
soma from dodging taxation. II
Irl Farmer unconsciously lets the cat O
a Of the bag whsn It says that asaessil
[, money at dellar for dollar il disastrou
II Why Is il Disastrous TO assess money
any ether property at its true c.,
), value. The state Law requires that :
: property shall be assessed At its tr'
:. value. The organic Law Of the sta
requires that taxation shall b equa
And It will be equal and only equ
, when all property is assessed q. i
true value.
II Is fundamental Law Of America
,tI tIgsvsrnment that public burdens shs
: b distributed among the people equs
.tIIy. To assess every mans property /
: Its true value is to obey this fund
. mental principle. No, it is not disa'
tEous to assess money st its true Cas-
value. Disasters may come upsn OF
people, Dat thoss disasters viii
tracsable 70 other causes than equ
taxation.