The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-06

81 debt, even il IL pinches a little at the
time. III people may feel a little pressed
by this years levy. but tho various agencies
and parties taking mp Investments Tor Hell
bonded indebtedness, and IL 10 a question
in my mind whether IN investor Will not pc
quite as liable TO come in and pay for prop
erty in a county that has a moderate levy
ana no interest to pay, as he would by look
ING back over the records and seeing that
fhsre mover had been a high levy, but there
was az \ result a long-continuing interest,"
account and principal ultimately TO DO met.
/ merely mention this, showing that there
arc two ways Of looking at these matters,
and j do not believe that the future OF the
county will be hurt by paying for the jail
this year"
,.This interview said Mr.. Edcerton.
.hus already been extended beyond what l
intended to say, but this is one OF those
subjects upon which there Is 30 much that
can be said, and uponw which the people gen
erally seem to be so misinformed and en-
tertain such erroneous opinions, 10 my
apology. In conclusion ! will say that there
10 last one thing that / have been unable to
find out, and that was what remedy there
was for evils, other rea, or supposed. we
cannot repudiate the debt. The comnis.
sioners sat dav after day and regulated all
the individual grievances to the best of
their Judgment and ability. and one OF the
foremost %complainers was personally the
recipient of over 40 corrections, the oor-
~rections being based entirely on his own
Judgment. which resulted in a reduction or
his assessment about 25 per cent. Now II
anything was wrong, tho proper way to
have done would have been to have APP
pealed to the court. There is no doubt that
the law has provided an ample remedy
wherever the commissioners failed t0do
what was right. ] believe there was not a
single appeal taken. My " Judgment 10
AL,A So - snynr>l aoooa arroH Ov tina side of
too much instead Of too little reduction,
but it was impossible to meet all these conf
plants satisfactorily.
"1he fact must not be lost sight of that
our legislature has ordered that property be
assessed at it's full valuation. The action
OF the assessor i'll Attempting to carry out
this provision has been startling, and the
impression is somewhat general that IN try
ing to do SO he has raised it above Its true
value. This NAV partially be due to the
fact that be has bsen working on a falling
market 30 far as cash values are concerned;
however do not wish to be understood as
saying anything whatever regarding the as
sessment as we had nothing to do with
making it. The real estate values we're
first submitted to a board created by the
last legislature and then Ill the powers
that the commissioners had formerly were
SO restricted az practically. to amount 10
euualizing only upon individual complaint
and in individual cases. Certain 1t is that
any one who SO desired, had an opportunity
to be heard in respect to their individual
grievances. By limitation Of Law the time
for that remedy Expired. The books were
closed and the general assessment was
subsequently passed upon by the state
board of equalization. and that having
also performed it's work and passed
upon the results of our action, the whole
matter in my opinion is settled and has be-
come as absolutely conclusive as a judR-
ment Ut the highest courts of this state. Or
course as to this legal problem, there may
be others who look at it differently, but l
am certain that some of our best lawyers
coincide with the views l have expressed
and / am equally certain that the heaviest
tax payers have all been notified to suggest
a remedy legally or otherwise, but none has
been forthcoming so far as l have heard"
Mr.. Edgerton allowed the reporter to
make a copy of the statement compiled by
County Treasurer Barden, as follows: