Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-08-13

II
many millions OF dollars and reduce
the burden Of taxation nearly il not
quite fifty per cent throughout the
territory.
That such a system of taxation is
feasible, will illustrate: The asses
sor comes to Sam Jones, who occu-
pies farm worth 5000, and he shall
be required by law to ascertain If
there be any circumference upon it; he
finds there is $4,000, secured by mort
gage on the farm, payable to John
Smith ;he assesses Sam Jones for $3,-
600 and John Smith for $4,000. III
within time fixed by the law after
the tax roll has been placed in the
hands of tax-collector, j ohm Smith, or
whoever may then own the mortgage,
does not pay the tax on the $1,000, il ,
shall be collected Of Sam Jones in the
same manner and be lien upon the
land the same as the tax assessed to
Jones; and when it is paid by Jones
a receipt shall be given HIM, which
shall be made by law legal-tender
to the amount of such taxes assessed
TO John Smith on the first interest or
principle that falls due on such mort
gage, no matter in whose hands the
mortgage at the time may be; then TO
wall up the road against provisions
in the mortgage that would bind Sam
Jones to pay all the taxes that might
be assessed on such mortgaget to John
Smith, the law should further provide
that any such provision in any mort
gage on real estate or personal prop
erty, or other reservation or contract
of any kind with intent TO avoid the
provisions Of such law, shall render
the note or mortgage void ab initio,
and Therefore not collectable even in
the hands of an innocent holder This
law should apply TO all membranes
and all monies loaned here whether
, by residents or non-residents; wheth
, er the nonresident be taxed where
!, he resides on the money he has loan
ed here makes no difference to us; If
a nonresident has $4,000 worth OF
farm machinery here on the first of
May, to be sold by agents, it is ASSESS
ed and taxed under our present tax
law and the same as to horses or cat
tie or any other personal property;
we do not ask nor care whether he Is
: required by the law of the state where
: he resides 10 list the property there,
= or not, we assess it as we should.
Then why not assess money OF nom
residents invested here and secured
by mortgage on either real or personal
property? Is money anything more
or less than property can any reason
Z be given why it should moi be assesses
!, ed that would not apply with equal
+" force to non-residents machinery or
= horses or other personal property
sent here to be sold by agents as
. money il also sent here to be loaned
for price by agentsi / fail TO dis
II cover any equitable reason why one
u class of non-resident's property
L should be assessed and another ex-
u empted. Here is snrely room for a
= great and equitable advance in our
n revenue system, an advance that
Z would not only materially aid the
IS farmers, but all other tax paying in
. terests, except those engaged in loan
g ing money; and il it be true that the
n devil takes care of his own, let those
e, who would avoid paying their equit-
e able proportion Of taxes, if they could,
IS turn to him for consolation which we
y cannot offer.
5, Can the members of this association
L do more to make this meeting mem
q orable, more to distinguish it for in
} telligence, patriotism and usefulness,
) more to draw us close to the hearts
q Of the mass of our people, more to
Re prove ourselves worthy the profession
d we have adopted, than TO resolve
B. that we will in fact as in name be ed
q ucators of the people and stand
II guard over their rights and interests
{ and demonstrate, that the pen is
y mightier than the sword; resolve that
J the evils which now Cypress the agri
r culturist aud depress all other pur-
g suits shall be wiped out; that we will
o lead and point out the way and rouse
e the people until they shall rise mp as
y one man, and with the finger OF legis-
lative power trace upon the statute
II book of this commonwealth laws that
J, will protect all, be just to all, making
I, each person in the law, corporate or
; otherwise, resident or ron resident,
h having property here, bear an equal
It share of the burdens Of govern
e ment that furnishes equal protection
), to all III we would have the plandits
Q OF our acts ring down the arches Of