The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08
In the Interest of Honest Men.

The tax dodgers in Indiana have not
been the farmers or the wage-earners of
the cities. All the farms lie "Out of doors"
In plain sight, and as rule they have not
been assessed very much, if any, below
their fair cash value. Few Of them will
be appraised much higher for taxation
under the new law than they have been
heretofore. It is the wealthy note
shavers and coupon-clippers, like
the BowENs of Delphi, and the
great railway and banking corporations
and the millionaires who live in fine
houses and ride in fine carriages. who
have been escaping their fair share of the
public burdens under the Old system, and
it is in their interest that the howl is now
being raised against an honest appraise-
ment by the Journal and other organs of
MONOPOLY.
As an illustration Of how the rich men
have profted at the expense of men of
medium means, by the appraisement of
property at what it would fetch at a
forced sale instead of at its fair cash value,
we will take the case oil a man owning a
home which cost him $1,000 and of his
neighbor who owned a home that cost
him $4,000. The former was likely
appraised at about three thousand
dollars, which amount it would
bring at a forced sale. The latter
was appraised at say $4,000 upon the
theory that such valuable properties are
usually sacrificed at forced sales, there
being comparatively few persons who can
afford to buy them at anything like what
they cost. Thus, the man with the $1,000
home has been assessed for 60 per cent. OF
the value of his holding, while his rich
neighbor has been assessed for only 80
per cent.
The inequality has been even greater in
the assessments on personal property. The
poor mans 500 worth of furniture has
been appraised at $50. The rich mans
$4,000 worth of furniture has been ap-
praised at say 81, 900. The former has paid
on 80 per cent. OF the cash value OF his
furniture; the latter on only 10 per cent
The rich man has the time and oppor-
tunity to look after his assessments and
see that he fares as well as anybody else,
or better. He has his attorney employed
by the year, and has him visit the court
house, overhaul the assessment returns,
90 before the board OF equalization and
get his appraisement down to the lowest
possible notch. The workingman and the
farmer do not have the time or the OPP
portunity to do this. Their assessments
almost invariably stand as made.
L.. ~ IL
properly so. of the monstrous injustice and
inequality perpetrated under the old sys-
tenn. The new law. if faithfully executed,
will do away with this injustice. 1t will
compel the rich men and the cor
porations to assume their fair share
of the public burdens. II is
literally the salvation OF the farmer, so far
al property shall be appraised at its fair
cash value. In the long run they will be
immensely the gamers by this reform. 1t
only remains for the assessors and other
officials charged with duties under the
new law to fulfill their obligations hon.
estly and impartially, and the discrim-
nations between the rich and the Door,
Of which the people have so long COM
planned, will soon be things of the past.
Millions of property which have hereto
fore escaped taxation altogether will be
put under contribution. and the taxes of
the workingmen and the farmers will be
proportionately reduced.
The new law is a just and an honest
law. Every good citizen will cooperate
= h. "a. L.. 49, ~
enforcement.