Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-26
EnnitahIe Taxation.

We give the following letter, written By
a well known citizen II the state, place
fu our editorial columns because il treats
F ola subject ia which we are deeply inter
e-ted. and I'D which tine people 81 the state
are deeply interested. our coTresp ondeHt
see. IS every intelligent eItizen
" tn state SOS. that sooner OF later lhe
burden Of taxation must BE- more EVEN!
distributed. Those VINO are tearing tA-
r.ufl ~ the burden now VIII not continue
- t.ear IL Tber viii get tired alter
.--s-fe and vrill refuse u make an honest
-e-,--r q. their property. The assessed
v.rue ~ property viii then decrease
.rrusIf.. while the state viii "
increasing 10 wealth. The rate oi
taxation will have % be increased
and the impression sill 20 abroad
that taxation DO Georgia i heavy.
such an impression viii damage the state
by keeping away capital and immigrants
We do not expect. Of course, that the
present LEGISLATURE viii DO anything u
remedy this evil u unequal assessments,
but We do expect that, if the press Of the
state does it, duty. The men who are
elected u the next legislature VIII
rr0rne remedy. According u
our correspondent this matter Of as
-e--Dent- was discussed throughout
The state and IN the Legislature 30
wears 20. and while something was done
h make dishonest property own
er- deal justly with the
state. not enough was done 70 effect "a
complete OF permanent reform. In fact
the law that was passed then has, 1t seems.
fallen into disuse. The letter Of our cor
respondent j. as follows
Editor Hornisg Netrs- In your weekly
paper Of the I'd ! notice an article from
Won on the subject If equitable taxation,
calling the attention Of the Legislature 10
the great wrong and injustice, 10 say the
least n IL. that il perpetrated yearly on
the honest taxpayers 81 the state lot the
want Of "a proper Laws and regulations
whereby that large class may be reached
who will not return their property at "a
fair valuation.
The writer u this had the hOnOrO being
Il member Of the legislature IN loJJ-Ji.
and having been satisfied Of the great
want 81 legislation on this subject TOOK
some pains 10 satisfy himself by close eN-
animation NJ the tax digests ln the comp
f
WINGED Of the great fraud that bad been ana
Wa. being practiced by large numbers
more pGrtiraiuffq by wealthy companies
and m0uDpolist-. The fraud, however.
' was practiced by IcOple in every class. Al
that time there were large companies OWL
ing immense quantities Of land. Whlch
they returned al the puyW valuation
0f - per Tot. many Of which lois were
worth from 500 10 1000 each; and
%
were returned.
The leading members Of the Le.is-
laturc consulted with our able
COMPTROLLER General. who had called. 90
his annual report. the attention 81 the
legislature to the necessity % legislatihg
on tho subject; but while all admitted
the evil. nO one would take the lead
iu Drafting a bin for its remedy.
some favored the election or appointment
of assessors for each county, but oblec-
lions were made on account OF the cN-
ucu-r and nothing was done. After the
lapse of Il few DAYS / drafted and intro
durcd bill making receivers assessors
in certain cases. The bill was passed
and Is the law now. The result was that
the following year the Comptroller Hene-
rat. Hon. Peterson Thweatt, showed M his
annual report AN increase ln the taNabie
property Of the state Of $tuWD,Db-
II this law were strictly enforced now
there would Doe far more uniformity and
equality in the valuation Of property.
Tho evil would al least Doe lessened IN the
absence 81 "a more efficient remedy. VIII
not the present legislature take some
action pu the subject and lessen. IL not
prevent. these gross inequalities ana
Wron1-. Is there not some one among
the number Of able men ia that body who
have tine nerve 10 take the lead and face
the music. The passage OF proper la"
ON the subject would do more for the state
Of Georgia than the passage of the thou
sand and one local bills that have been
before the Legislature this session
LIBERTY.