The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15
THE NEW REVENUE SYSTEM.
HOW 1T WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE.
A Fair Statement of the Principles and Pro-
visions IF the New Lnw-How 1t VIII
Benefit Honest Men and Particularly
the Farmers-A Wise Measure.
f"U. C." in Princeton Democrat

n VI tilt law uCStAOlc
of its supposed rigor and injustice. When
a law is once enacted, the partisan press
ef the opposite political party exhausts all
its energy in magnifying and Haunting its
imperfections and in studiously and
falsely concealing its virtues. This is
strikingly illustrated by the conduct of
the republican press in reference to the
new assessment law in Indiana. The
tax payers are informed that the valua-
ton of all property is to be more than
doubled, and that hereafter taxes will,
by reason of the new law, be enorm-
ously increased. In this talk about
the burden put on the farmer and other
tax payers, the republican press add to
falsehood both insincerity and hypocrisy.
Strange to saw they find some people
VINO believe these unwarranted infer
ences and statements to be true. With
out examining the new law, or compar-
ing it with the old, they at once under
stand" or "hear" the law to be $50 and
so" and Jump at violent and unbound ed
conclusions. The farmers" says one
prominent republican journal. ''are quick
to see that their taxes are just about
doubled"
The vital change in the new law is in
reference to the valuation of property.
When the sections OF the old and the new
law are placed side by side they will be
found TO differ most in their resem-
blances.
Sec. As of the acts OF 1891, provides
as follows:
That the owner of the property shall fix
what he deems the true cash value thereof 10
each item of property for the guidance o. such
assessor who shall determine and settle the
value of each item, after an examination OF
such statement and also examination under
oath of the party or any other person. II he
deem it necessary. In determining sud set
Ting such valuation. he shall be governed 10y
what is the true cash value, such being the
market or the usual selling price at the place
where the properly shall be at the time OF Its
liability to assessment, ana if there is no mar
ket value then the actual value.
Sec. $3.50 OF the revised statute OF 1881,
in refence to the same subject is as fol-
lows:
The owner shall alix what he deems the fair
cash value thereof to each item of personal
property for the guidance OF the assessor. who
shall determine the value of each item after
examination of such statement, and also an ex-
animation of the party, under oath, II he deems
it necessary. In determining and settling such
valuation the assessor shall be governed by
what is the fair cash value, such being the
market or usual selling price at the place
where the property shall be at the time OF Its
liability TO assessment, and if there be no mar
ket vslue then the actual value.
Sec 95 of the act of 1891 provides:
Lands and the improvements and the build.
ings thereon or affixed thereto shall be valued
at their full, true. cash value, estimated at the
price they would bring at fair. voluntary
rfv al ~ nj nd nr he a
taking into consideration the fertility of soil,
the vicinity OF the same to railroads, macada-
mized roads, state county roads, cities,
towns, villsges, navigable rivers, water privi-
leges on the same in the vicinity of the
same the location of the route OF any canal or
canals, with any other local advantages of
situation.
Sec. $3.50 of revised statutes OF 1881,
on the same subject is as follows:
Lands AMI improvements and the buildings
thereon or affixed thereto, shall be valued at
their full fair cash value, estimated at the
price they would bring at a fair voluntary sale
taking into consideration the fertility of the
soil, the vicinity OF the same to railroads,
moo a1amized roads, clay reals, gravel roads,
turnpike roads. state or county roads. cities.
towns, villages, navigable rivers water privi-
leges on the same or in the vicinity OF the
same, the location of the route of any canal or
canals with any other local advantages.
Sec. SO of the new act provides:
The words "value." leash value" "true
act, shall be held to mean the usual selling
price at the place where the property to which
such term or terms are applied, shall be at the
time OF assessment, being the price which
could be obtained therefor at private sale and
not at forced or auction sale.
The chief differences between the two
in reference to the valuation of personal
property are, first, the old law provides
that the owner shall fix "fair" cash
value and the new law. that he shall fix
true" cash value; and the second, the
new law gives to the assessor the power
to Examine under oath any other persons
if he deem it necessary" to secure a true
valuation.
The words "fair" and true" as used in
the two acts are exactly synonymous
each meaning 1.-The market or usual selling
price at the place where the property
shall be at the time of its liability to as
sessment."
Section ffty-three simply gives the
words true value" a meaning that "fair
value" was ALWAYS intended to have, and
which. in truth, it always did have and
should have been given. "True value" in
this section is defined as being the price
which could be obtained therefor at pri-
vate sale and not at forced or aution sale. !"
No one will contend that what an article
will bring at forced or auction SALE is
now or ever was its true value" The
different sections define the two words
and this definition fixes their meaning.
Both sections provide that the valuation
should be honest and fair The new
law adopts the theory that it is easier
to determine what an item of property
is worth than it is to guess at
what it is not worth. Thus believing it
has determined what true value must
mean. 1t has given legislative defni-
tian to these words, and who doubts that
it simply declares that TO be the law that
has always been the law. Fair appraise-
ment, under the law as it was, grew to
be custom more honored in the breach
than in the observance. The necessity
of determining the valuation of property
by the oaths of persons other than the
owner is evident. Assessors are only hu-
man. No man can be found who has
q knowledge of the value of all the
diversified forms of property in any
community. Take an assessor who Is
a farmer and send him into a
drug store, blacksmith shop or printing
office, and what can he know of the value
of the various articles. He is simply at
the mercy of dishonest proprietors. I'M
til the new law he can call to his aid
another druggist, blacksmith or editor,
who does not know what the articles
81 x-orfh and this