Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-06-09
wrusa fes the Osfcri D.mesrsl
ASSESSORS AND DOGS.

ASotooONo ANU OOoo.
IIelng considerably Interested In the
discussion of the dog question In late is-
sue Of the Democrat, wherein the dog
has champion and Vice versa, feel
constrained to write.
One of the writers In connection with
the dog takes up the unsolvcd problem
OF taxation, tax dodging. etc. IL would
appear from hls tone that he IL not fully
satisfied with the condition of things NJ
they exist, yet has great fears Of class
legislation, prcfcrring also to have the
lawyer rather than the Ignorant farmer
for law maker. Have Ne not class
legislation at the presentf whether
class legislation or lack Of strict con-
formlty to existing laws, u is painfully
evident that taxation bears heavily on
the holder Of real estate.
When We come to tax dodging, the
way these matters are managed, u puts
the man of smaller means on the de-
fensl,e. We elect for our assessors men
of influence a. q matter of course, 20
property qualification constituting In
finence nowadays. They are sworn
Ia assess on all taxable property. They
ar, credited In their own right with
stocks, bond. aud mortgage. Ia the tune
Of thousand. of dollars. Perhap. they
asses. themsel,c. on q few hundreds,
perhsp. they don't. A Deighbor has .
home aud maybe few hundred. az In
tsrc.t. The assessor calls and enquiries
how much be feels to give In. What
can he dor lie know. al beat he has got
io pay IN. rich man. tax. q portion NJ
least, and " he give. In the few hundred
he pay. larger proportion. self'pro-
t.ction. the hr.t Law to be observed,
ssy., "Nothing;" hence tax dodging J.
considered q legitimate mode of proced-
urr. aud Who shall say nayt
Herr come. In the inequality existing
at the present time, by placing men Of
wealth az the head ~ nearly all depart
ment.. We can expect nothing el.e.
Human nature Il the same yesterday, to-
day, and forever. The money lender,
the robber. q. we'll s the farmer Will
legi.la,e for al. own Interest u given .
chance, aud a. the chance !. seldom al
lowed th. latter. hence hls unpleasant
situation to-day a. compared With the
former.
There SEEM. to - but Que rational
way out of the dilemma, and that IL to
work aud yo,. for men who vii carry
out the desired principles, choosing Tor
ourselvc. th. men to carry out our wish
80, aud not leaving this work Ia BE- die
taiei by one or two wire pullers In each
town "a !. usually the case.
On the dog question, from . p-r.onai
standpoint am on conservative ground.
II owning . farm, az formerly, ! should
want dog. un,ax~i, and settling elias.
legislation aside would sot. In that d.
r.ctlon. am very fond ~ dog a. =
pet hu, do not Keep Que, and Why Be'
cau.. I live In q village. Dogs In VII
lagr are q nuisance. Whyf Becaus.
they k-p people awake o'nlghts; again
when fiftecn or twenty dogs commence
q light In the streets, the people all
leave their business to take In the show,
causing q lo.s of valuable time. To feed
one. hens aud have neighbor's dog
take the lions share I. unpleasant. To
Que not fond of mlxc'i drink. u u par
tlcularly dl.gu.ting Ia have all the dog.
In the nelghborhooi congrrgsi. around
one. pump, q. !. their custom.
II meet q pug ar poodle ! must
fondl. him. That. all they are goci
for. They have not half the dog Intel
ligrnce ~ the de.pls~i cur.
On the whole, Ia 20 back on the sub
.tsnti,l dog, never can, possessed AZ he
Il of the Que attribut. ~ genuine COO.
.tancy, true "a hl. master, Jet What Will
come, while man, protesting the most
ardent friendship, too of, will desert hi.
hl. b-.t friend.
Thcr. arr good dog. and bad dog., /.
veil AZ good Indian. aud bad Indians.
I vote Tor the good dog every time.
a.. TILIO>.