St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-11-20
COLLECTION OF TAXES.

The financial affairs of the State
are sail TO demand that the reve,
nue. laws be amended, and it is
urged rs one of the principal rea-
sons for calling an extra session oil
the Legislature. The trouble is
not with the present law, but may
more properly be attributed to the
lllly daily method OF enforcing 1t.
Let the Auditor instruct the Sher
ifs and Tax Collectors to proceed
promptly under the laws we have,
and it will make Il vast deal OF dir
ference in the situation. There Is
well-detiued belief in the minds
of muny of our District and State
officials that the brokers and deal
| ers in State warrants exercise an
undue Influence i'll retarding the
collection of the States revenues.
This may be IN unjust and un-
founded opinion, but 1t can only bee
met by a strict and impartial en-
forcen,ent of the laws under which
the moueys to pay our officials are
collected. Collar Chronicle.
Tue Coifax Chronicle had only
to refer to the statutes to see how
unjust its insinuation is toward the
officials. Taxes do not become
exirible on nuvables until Novem-
Der of the year for which they are
levied, aud OH real estate not until
january of the following year, aud
then the penalty Is only eight per
cent. interest. Although the tax Is
SO small. the people, as is proven
by experience, will not generally
Day until tue last moment Of legal
delay, or nutll se!f-Iuterest compels
item to do Softly lem.
We make no lnslnuation toward
the officials, but merely voice be-
. liet that seems to be current among
+ the constitutional officers of the
State, and expressly remark that
1t may be unjust and unfounde,l.
! So far as che collection of taxes i'll
january is concerned. that IL all
very we'll. if the law is followed and
delInauents forced to settle on Oh
= before the LIST of March, rs is plain.
~ the intent Of the revenue law
Ii is the delay until after April
= and sometimes J ally. that we refer
! 10. Ii the Item will take the trou
= ole 10 Inquire, it will find TIN"
yearly all ol the Sheritfs i'll countr,
8 parishes were instructed by tbt
4 Auditor, last March. to defer col
"a lection, or rather leaving the mat
ter to their discretion, as will APP
pear from tue following extract .
e Circular issued ut that time:
e. cit is not the intention to oppres
d The tax-pay Ell, aud hence the Ia!
:, Collector may use his discretion IL
advertising sale Of immovable prop
s. erty of delinqueuts i'll parishe
}. where there is delay in the r,ove
IS ment of crops, or the condition q
Of he people require it. 1t is impera
. tive only that the provisions OF tn
p" law should be enforced within o
u before the expiration Of the quar-
r ter ending June Both of each year.
,e Now, We submit that under til
law it is Imperative for delinquent
TO ke forced to settle within res
:. sonable time after the require
ie twenty days notice in January, an
Sc an, time beyond the 18th or 2Ot
n of March is an extension unwal
=. rantea by law. No discretion
given by law to Tax Collector
he their duties beins plainly states
all and conditions fut postponeinel
ne or delay clearly outlined. III
II, taxes are exigible III November, u
. great MINORITY of the tax-paye
=" meet the demands of the law IN
he pay up By the 18th or 18th Of Fe
OF ruury, and it is not oppression
n force delinqunnts to settle in Mare
There is no delay in the moveme'
of our crops that requires furth
y" extension of time. Of course '
he admit aid recognize the necessl
no for postpunenent on account
elf public calamity. but it should ON
be allowed in such cases. We thu
:" tue Item is in error as to eight y
ha' cent. luterest.-COifar Chronicle.
he The Item is wrong about the II
Tue Of interest, which is l per cent |
yer month after December 81. Ii IA
payers would pay up prompt
without waiting till they receive
personal notice from the Collect
ak they would save great deal
the time aud trouble. There Is no
ole ing sure in this world but de-
1T, and taxes, the only difference
Al ing that the former don't alw'
ub- give 8 haa twenty days notice
on settle up. There are only
be- weeks remaining in which to
nth voar taxes without mourning I'D
,is- tiopal costs, and all should co
md forward and pay up without
OF Their delay.
ion. -~-