Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-09

The House and the Assessment Bill
The House struck out OF the assessment
bin all that was really valuable IN II. Inc
purpose Of the bill was to secure iair
assessment throughout the state, and TO
insure the assessment OF all property
liable to assessment. That purpose has
been defeated, and the bill might as well
be killed.
1t is strange that the Legislature refuses
to enact a law that will secure far as
sessment 1t certainly cannot believe
| that the law as it is at present, or as It
/ Will be if the pending bill in its amended
shape passes, is sufficient for that
purpose. II 1t has any doubt what
ever on this point 1t need only make in
quries in the different counties. 1t Will
not have much difficulty in getting at the
truth. And what is the truthS Why, it
is that there are millions Of dollars worth
Of property in this State that il not as
sesscd at all, and at least two-thirds OF
that which is assessed is valued far below
what it would bring at a cash sale.
What folly is it then to 90 on increasing
the rate Of taxation to meet DEFICIENCIES in
the revenue. 1t Is wonder that those
VINO are honest enough to make return
OF all Of their property and that, too, al
! somewhere near its true value, do not
protest so vigorously against the lnjus-
tice which they suffer that the Legislature
would be compelled to afford them re-
lief
1t is noticeable that in some parts Of
the State communications have appeared
in the county papers, in which the III
quiry is made with great show Of indig-
nation whether it Is believed that tax
PAYERS cannot be trusted 10 MAKE an hon
est return Of their property. 1t is not
improbable that communications OF this
kind caused many members of the House
to vote against those provisions Of the as
sessment bill which gave it its character
and value.
There ought to be no hesitation in tell
ing indignant citizens who want to know
if the correctness Of their tax returns is
doubted that, in the cases Of very many
taxpayers, they are doubted. IL they
We're not the pending bill would not have
been introduced. There are, Of course, tax
payers who make an honest return of
their property, but it is pretty safe 10 as
sumo that they are not the majority.
The belief is becoming pretty general
that the tendency is not to value property
at anything near what it is worth, and
not TO make return of any more property
than can possibly be helped. Even those
who are disposed to be perfectly fair in
their dealings with the State are apt, after
awhile, to get tired of bearing greater
burden, in proportion to their means, than
their neighbors, and TO fall into the habit
OF paying just as little tax as they can
without exciting unfayoraole comment.
OF course, under the present system the
rate OF taxation must be gradually raised.
The revenues, even with the great In
crease IN the States wealth, are not sulii-
Client to meet the requirements Of the
State. The present Legislature has been
a very costly one, and the present indica-
tions are that not single one of its acts,
except the local option act, Will confer
great benefits upon the people of the
State. The life has been taken out of the
assessment bill, and out Of the bill 10
modify the Railroad Commission law.
1t is somewhat remarkable that the
Legislature, after having put the State to
SO much expense, does not provide the
means to meet this expense by insuring a
fair assessment rather than by increasing
the rate of taxation.