Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-24

penalty for the nom Observance OF thu
section Of the law Is one hundred doi
lars fine.
The law requires that when printed
questions are given taxpayers TO MI ur
his answers shall be verified by oath,
and the penalty In this case Is fine Of
one thousand dollars and removal from
Office. IL is well known that 10 some
districts and counties OF tho State these
three sections of the law are never OBJ
served by the commissioners. 10 all IN
tents and purposes they are dead letter.
In some instances they even fail to call
upon certain tax payers, being governed
entirely by the list OF the preceding year.
Then again, the law requires collectors
to use due diligence in collecting the
taxes. This many collectors fail to do,
and in many instances return as delin-
quent many tracts of land from which,
with ordinary diligence, the taxes could
have been collected.
The law makes any property found on
the premises belonging either to the
owner or his tenant liable to be dis
trained for taxes, and there are very
few tracts Of land on which enough taxa
bles cannot be found TO pay the taxes on
them. This writer many years ago was
a tax-collector himself. and he does not
remember to have returned single
tract OF land delinquent. 1t Is very true
that the collection of taxes is much more
difficult than they used to be, and there
must necessarily be some delinquent re-
turns. but they are far more numerous
than they need be.
Collectors in making their delinquent
returns have to take very stringent oath.
They are required TO swear that they
have used due diligence in collecting,
and that no effects could be found to pay
the taxes. This oath has become so COM
mon and 80 stale that the taking OF it
has become matter of form merely.
Now, when the public business is trans
acted in this loose and lawless manner,
is it eny wonder that gross errors,
omissions, and default are made ? Yes,
and the poor tax-ridden people are the
sufferers.
Our lawmakers in enacting the three
sections Of the law alluded to had rea-
son and purpose for their enactment.
They knew very well that whilst the ma
iority of our tax payers are honorable
men and will render q true list OF their
taxables to the assessor without an oath,
there are some who will not, and hence
all are required to make oath to the cor
rectness of their returns. They know
that the ownership OF lands is constantly
changing, and therefore the assessor Is
required to exhibit the land book of the
preceding year to every landowner or
hisagent and inquire whether any change
has taken place during the preceding
year.
Now the question arises, What is the
remedy for these evils It is simply
this Let the judges of the county
courts instruct the grand juries as TO their
duties in the premises and urge them to
make diligent inquiries and SEQ that
these officials obey the law and do their
duty as they on INT. Then again, every
good citizen should feel interested IN
seeing the law enforced and report every
infraction that may come within his
knowledge and nave the guilty par
ties presented. In some OF these
Southside counties where the dsr-
ky influence predominates these Of
ficials have held Office solong and been
feeding out of the public crib 50 long
that they have become mt and sleek,
and wear fine clothes, whilst the poor
x-payers (many of them sIe in rags.
They should be made 70 now that they
are the servants of the pt pie and not
their masters, and that the offices they
hold were created for the benefit and
service of the people and not as spoils
for oflice-holders. ii would be a good
thing for the public service if some OF
them we're relegated to the shades of re-
tirement SCUM SIDE