Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-01-30
TAXATION; WATER BONDS.


Just as rapidly as the percentage
Of the taxes increases Justin thatIpro-
portion do the tax payers evade and
return less property. This is an evil
that has grown with the growth of
every state. The writer can remem-
Der when in Ohio, as early as 1889
40 the state and county taxes were
not over two or three mills on the
dollar and few towns were incorpor-
ated save the very largest. Yet the
public improvements were just as
substantial and numerous in proper
ton as they are to-day. Every dol
llrs worth of property came under
the eye Of the assessors. The State
collected little from everybody
and rot great deal offa few as it
is to-day. Again, in Missouri in
1885 in many counties the taxes
were so low that few tax payers
paid over four or five dollars. And
yet some of the best public improv-
ments in these counties were made
then, when he who paid twenty
five dollars tax was a prodigy. To
day several citizens in each of these
counties pay from five hundred to
thousand dollars per year. And yet
we doknow that the public improve
ments are no better proportionally,
than then, to the population. A
remarkable proof of the evil was
given about year ago by the Chi
cage News which day after dayIpub-
lished the sworn returns made by
millionaire citizens Of their personal
property, and in no case did the sum
exceed thousand dollars, generally
under five hundred dollars, while
it was notorious fact that within
the marble palaces of most of them
was property worth hundreds of
thousands and in the grand stables
behind were thousand dollar horses
and carriages: harnesss worth per
set five hundred dollars, at least, for
the gold 0n them. Side by side
were given the returns of poor wild
Ows of the same block equalling or
exceeding those of the mill and bill.
i0naires. bay after day was this
done by the News and Attorney
Gannellls attention called to It, vet
not a thing has ever been done.
MOI a thing ever will be done.
1t is sadto see young states tend
ing lnOre and more toward the dis
NAL vortex. What is the remedy?
Strict economy and stern simplicity
In all public expenses, Then very
low assessment based on the known
property or wealth of the counties
and n stern requirement. that every
dollars worth Dotspecially exempt
shall he given. The plunge should !
be made though we shiver on the
bank dreading the eoad bath, and it |
will be found far more easy than
supposed. Just IA truth, honor,
justice are more easy than lying, in
fanny and injustice. II we are for
ever 10 continue this system of tax
ing industry and enterprise of filming
a citizen or q :eity just as soon as
either begin 60 do something for
the common gO0dWs all industry is)
and letting them alone only while
idle, useless non productive, then,
the sooner we make the assessment
a mere bagatelle, which no one but
the stinglest misers would care to
evade, and sternly insist that every
dollars worth Of wealth be produced
before the assessor the better. |
As to the Portland water bonds
We can only see one case In which
such kind Of property ought not to
he taxed, aud that Is when the peO-
pie are doing the business for them
selves, 10 furnish water merely for
the public. But II every house ,
holder must pay rates TO some com
panY for use OF water, why not tax {
the bonds? In the one case It is a
,ompany specuRting, making an in {