Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-12-04
WritetoChas.
AROUND THE EDGES.

AROUND THE EDGES.
The introduction Of several tax inquisitors
to the people Of Henry county by the COM
missioners, treasurer and auditor brings be-
fore each taxpayer the old question of
Double taxation. This question in political
economy that has staggered students of that
science from way back" It is the most
conspicuous difficulty to equity and certainty
of assessment of levy. Double taxation will
always exist but the means for enforcing
must be amended from time to time in order
TO successfully cope with the strategy of evad-
ing property owners. The only palliation
for this system is that if it be strictly en-
forced, (which is rarely done), the govern
ment, in which all are commonly interested,
is the gamer. But if not enforced, it is a
law enacted for the oppression of the poor
and still greater aggrandizemeut of the rich,
inasmuch as the latter by placing his proper
ty in certain forms can dodge taxation and
thereby throw the burdensome expense of
maintaining the government on those not so
favorably situated.
s~s
Mortgages and other securities are taxable
but they are easily hidden from sight and
thus readily escape assessment. The asses
sor cannot here be criticized. All people are
supposed to be honest until proven otherwise
word is to be taken until itcan be established
that he is liar.
-
In Henry county thousands of dollars in
taxes have been evaded by false returns in
mortgages and other securities-chiefy the
former. It is the business of the tax inquisi-
tor to tear aside the veil of dishonesty that
shrouds this wealth and let run at large cer-
tain skeletons to gain fesh--this flesh to go
into the Golfers of the county, and certain
Shylocks required to fall to and take a hand
in paying for immunities which the owners
of tangible property have hitherto been &C.
customed to shoulder alone.
-.
Many means are resorted to for the purpose
of concealing property from the assessor.
Despicable as the practice may seem and
however widely it may be known, the per-
petrators of such fraud escape censure and
taxes alike. The reason of this is obvious.
The class that owns mortgages usually own
and control all else.
"The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
A mans man for a. that"
But the t'man" generally pays the taxes ia
enable this guinea stamp to remain trans
| fixed on the "rank". So the consolation of
bracing up and asseverating boldly that
you're q "man for a. that and then 90 down
in your overalls and shell out your years
earnings to replenish this frank" business
| is back number. A man may be q mar
without ranking with the class that has beer
for years evading taxation, but its awfully
unhandy.
-.
| An instance of this tax evasion was noted
shortly since. A man well-to-do If not to say
rich, stopped from what little manhood year
of avariciousness had bequeathed him ant
drove his stock into an adjoining county dur
| ing the assessors rounds, thus escaping tax
alton on thousands by one covert, dishones
1 move. 'Tis said this same man was thrown
into mighty and apoplectic frenzy when b,
ascertained that some thousands in ditcl
bonds of his we're on the duplicate for tax
alton. It has ever been his aim to smite tn,
town with his mighty wrath for this pre-
sumptuous act. But strange as it may seen
Napoleon still glides smoothly along with n,
fears whatever of fate analogous with tina
of Sodoma and Gomorrah.
-
It is the above type that / respectfully rec
ommend to Messrs, Charters, ct al, as excel
lent material to shadow" This is the clas
that magnanimously loans $500 to laborin
man with fourteen children in the dead o
winter, charges him over half of it for diver
imaginary expenses, interest in advance, etc
and then conceals the mortgage from tn
eyes of the assessor. The man who gave th
mortgage cannot conceal his little house an
: lot, therefore, he pays the taxes on the Who'll
when he owns but half. It is defect whic
the requirement of the oath of the mortgag
will but partially remedy, as truth is strange
than lies here, and mortgages never const
, tute much of the assessors returns. So Nj
Inquisitor by planting your feet SQUARED
in the small of the back of this class an
making it writh in financial agony you wi
be complying with the peoples request.
&ss
Talking about different topics Of meannet
there was man not in this county or town
it was in Kentucky-who owned a stav
factory. He did thriving business and
several years became rich. One winte
which was noted for its severeness, he ha
: more skindlings" on hand than to meet th
demand. After punching two or thre
moul tains he carted the remainder of an(
like Nero, enjoyed a huge bonfire. Som
: daring, bold man actually reproached hil
| for the act when 80 many were actuall
. freezing. He was silenced by the rotor
|, "How do you expect me to find O maket 70
my wood If supply the town gratisl' II
: did not stop to consider that he who woul
| take his wood for nothing was in conditio
y not to buy it. sBut he could give mortgage
| and doubtless this far seeing seer had figure
! on this. Such acts as these the world ma
) soon forget but the recording angel will 81
we'll to their entry on his ledger in character
! bold, bright and legible that no amount {
9 ''tears" in the shape of donations, etc., wi
wash away.
-.
= Should this paper find its way to Kentucl
Mr.. Stavefactory will recognize portion
t his biography and straightway come up he
and fight; but he must remember that q
!. names are mentioned and putting on Il
! shoe" is equivalent to confession Of Il
: dastardly and inhuman act.
!. -.
I'll Toledo is on nettles. She has been i
fringing on certain patents of Indianapol
2 parties BY using hinges on her FIRE depal
4 ment doors that by some electrical contri
ance swings the doors open simultaneous
o with the FIRE alarm. The amount Of dsmRg
will be about 5000. Bowling Green shou
s beware. II has just such modern improv
ments-but not on her engine house doors
. rather on the knee joints and jaws Of b
n citizens il speed and horrible yells during
j. lent to Fourth of July celebration, for io
At the tinkle Of the miniature bell the tov
l. awakes and from then till the fire is exit
1 ouiahad kha d,1kv davnlvaa uron aarh nna