Thomas County cat., 1890-08-14
PRESENT EOOE0MIO PROBI,EMs
No IL.

is one of the most difficult problems
confronting the people. We have
blundered along upon a one-fourth
or one-ffth valuation, or NO valuation
at all. Those having the largest IN
comes, and supposed to possess large
property interests, frequently escap-
ing but merely nominal taxation,
and the farmer burdened with indebt-
edness obliged to pay taxes upon his
mortgaged farm, upon his imple-
ments and stock the property invested
in with the mortgage money, and no
deductions allowed for his indebted
ness. We all see the inequality but
shut our eyes, and worry on, escaping
as much as possible, and listing as
little as possible.
The principle upon which taxation
is based is simple enough, viz. in
proportion as one has property to be
protected by the public just in that
proportion should he pay. If he has
large interests he should contribute
largely to the public funds, if small
interests then he should contribute a
smaller amount. Each individual
requires some public protection, hence
the reasonableness of his contributing
some time or money yearly to the
public good The legality and pro-
priety of the yearly poll tax, ls bond
upon such individual right of protec-
ton by the public and right to the
use of public property. One would
suppose that so plain propositions
should have no difficulty in practical
application. And yet when one ex-
amines the assessors rolls, the
sworn lists of personal property made
by individuals and corporations, he
meets with the most astounding rev.
elations, and rubs his eyes to awaken
from the absurd and deceiving dream
that seems to come over HIM. What
he supposes he knows with reasonable
certainty, if he is to believe the evi-
dence of his eyes when examining
such assessment rolls, he finds he
doesn't know at all. A fifty thousand
dollar mansion with fifteen to twenty
rooms, all handsomely furnished has
such furnishings listed at two hun
dred and fifty dollars! The liberal
tax exemption of two hundred dollars
leaves the grand sum of fifty dollars
upon which the occupant of the fifty
thousand dollar mansion pays taxes.
Experience, observation, and inquiry
reveal the fact that not less than five
to six thousand dollars were expended
in such furnishings Further inspec-
ton of the assessment rolls reveal the
fact that those possessing but one
tenth to our one-twentieth of as many
household goods IN value as the one
listing his goods at two hundred and
fifty dollars. are paying taxes upon
an amount as great or greater than
the fifty dollars upon which he pays
Again, great corporation secures a
franchise remarkably advantageous
to itself, from large city, to furnish
a water supply to that city and its
inhabitants.
The franchise and initial works are
sufficiently valuable to warrant the
loan of quarter of a million of dol
lars upon them. The city grows,
and the works are extended to keep
pace with the growth. Affecting SO
many interests it necessarily requires
large public protection and care. Its
name is seen frequently upon the
court records, as plaintiff or defend
ant. It costs the public thousands
of dollars annually to extend to it the
some proportion of protection as is
extended to the ordinary citizen
Yet when it is proposed to tax the
property of such corporation, imme-
diately great objections are made.
"It has never returned its stock
holders one dollar" "Until it pays
q dividend it should pay no taxes"
It resists an assessed valuation at
one twentieth of what afterwards
proves to be its real value. It calls
upon the courts to restrain the proper
authorities from the collection OF
taxes. It finally compromises with
the county and pays tenth of what
it should pay. Afterwards it is called
into court, and the question of its
real value is the subject of contro-
versy. Then it is shown that what