Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-10-21

The burdens OF excessive taxation
are brought home to the people OF
Thur>ton county 10y the action OF the
State Board OF Equalization, this week
whereby over thirty rer cent. was add
ed to the aggregate valuation returned
hy the assessor, increasing the tax
which each property owner will have
To- pay Just about one third. The ag.
grcgatc value oi real property rctu ned
10y tnat officer was T6.J13, 19>, ~ high
a rating a. the property would sell for
and therefore its full cash value This
sum is raised 10y the board to r., Gl9,-
COL, difference OF $2,0.6, SG3. The as
,oS>cd value OF personal property i, in
creased SIS ,H9l, and that OF railroad
property is fixed at $loi,1l6, making
a grand total OF real and personal pro-
pcrty, as equalized, OF $9,OGJ,17S.
The difference in the assessments
of the various classes between
this years equalization and that OF
last year in the State, is as
follows: Real, 1891, $2GG SGT ,742 f.;
1892, $234, III ,o52, Il decrease of $32 :
go $50, or l. per cent Personal,
1891, $40 ,GI3, go; 1892, $37, 0l2 Oh, a
n decrease of $l2, 571, JOG, or 81 per
cent. Railroad, 1891, $l2,014,70S +;
1892, $lI ,G3l ,95S, an increase OF g.
Gil go, or - per cent.
1t will be remembered that in 1891,
the assessment was made on the heels
Of season of business activity that
had sent values far above a reasonable
estimate, still the basis for this year is
only II per cent. less on realty and %
per cent. on personal property, not
outstanding, at low estimate, the
decline has been fully equal to twice
that amount.
The board raised the realty values Of
twelve counties - Adams, Clallam,
Clarke, Jefferson, Kitsap, Lewis, Ma
son, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Stevens
and Thurston, and lowered those of
Asotin and King. The personal as
sessment of 81 counties has been in
creased and l. lowered.
The farmers OF Thurston county will
have to pay ten per cent. more on
horses, mules and cattle, property
they possess, than the Assessor says is
just, while reduction of ten per cent.
is made on sheep, which they do not
have in any great number.
The history of similar horizontal
raise in the valuations of all classes OF
property in this city, by unanimously
Republican City Council, is too fresh
in the memory of the people, who
vainly protested by petitions and pub.
lie meetings, against the outrage, to
require more than mere reference to
show that the party in power is deter
mined to run the local and general
governments on high-pressure princi.
pies which keep the noses of poor men
constantly to the grindstone.
Is there any other object to be sub
served, than to maintain the high sal
aries and fat jobs of party favorites'
Is not this an ample confession that
our State and city is governed toe
much? Is it not an acknowledgment
that we have too many official para
sites sucking the life-blood from thu
sturdy yeomanry of the land?
The hopes held out to labor by this
party OF plumber are shams of The mos
glazing kind. The city assessment was
raised, and special taxes were voted
ostensibly to give EN- ployment to labor
while the deluded workingman in aid
ing these schemes by his assent anC
vote was placing a mortgage upon al
his worldly possessions which viii
probably harass him the remainder
OF his life. He is virtually burning
his candle at both ends, in the delusiv'
hope that he can add to his comfor
by hasty consumption of his sub
stance, while the prospect of abjec
poverty after o few months or years o
this ill-advised, suicidal policy, is a
imminent as that darkness follows tn,
brightness OF the MONDAY sun.