Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-08-17
WEALTH OF THE STATES.

,ately issued, shows how unevcnly
wealth is distributed in the different
~ections of this country. OF course
hese totals are not perfect for purposes
f comparison, Us the assessment laws
liffer in the various states, but the
Louisville Courier-J ournal claims that
with few provisos they serve well
..nough to give one fair idea of the
relative riches or poverty OF the sec
tions. One of the most important of
The provisos is in regard to Illinois,
where the state board Of equalization
estimates that the 1890 assessment rep
resents only one-fourth the true value
Of the property. This estimate is up
held by the fact that the assessment of
illinois is but little more than one
third that of Ohio and is considerably
;css than that of Indiana, although
illinois has the great city of Chicago
."ithin her borders and possesses a pop
'lation nearly double that of Indiana.
IN Massachusetts the assessment is like
" to be little high as compared with
That of other states, as property there
is rated at pretty nearly its true value.
The figures indicate that the wealth
f the country lies more largely
in the east than had been generally
imposed, although it was universally
'inown that the east, because of greater
age, was the richer section.
Massachusetts, though one of the
inailest states in size and but sixth in
population, is the third in assessed
.ycalth, falling less than 20 per cent
behind Pennsylvania, while New York,
18th population nearly three times as
no,
EfCr assessment is greater than that Of
ohio, more than four times that of
kentucky, six times that of Tennessee,
lorc than fourteen times that of South
ar, lima and nearly three times that of
Missouri.
Mere than one-third of the assessed
wealth of the United States is in the.
-hrce states OF New York, Pennsylvania
md Massachusetts, and nearly onc-haf
f il is in the five states of New York.
.'CnnsYlvania, Massachusetts, Ohio and
'alifornia. The assessment of Califor-
. ia, though that state is only about
r:)rty years old, exceeds that of any
'thCr state except New York, Pcnnsyl-
vaaia, massachusetts, and Ohio, though
illinois would be far ahead of her if
property there were properly assessed
The six New England states, with
bout one thirteenth of the population
{ the union, contain onc-Sevcnth of
Inc assessed wealth; Massachusetts with
,ne-thirt.eth of the population having
..ne-elcvcnth of the assessed wealth.
The fifteen states that were formerly
.,lavcholding contain about % per cent.
IF the assessed wealth and about sc per
cent. of the population of the union
What was tho old northwest territory.
which Great Britain endeavored to hold.
low the five states OF Ohio, Indiana, Ill
ilOis, Michigan and Wisconsin, contains
per cent of the population and %
ct cent. of the wealth, Illinois being
given her proper assessment, about
Glual to that of Ohio
Some of the fur western states, be-
ides California, are rising rapidly in the
scale of wealth. Thus the assessment
IF Washington or Colorado is larger
than that of South Carolina or West
Virginia or Arkansas. In fact, the as.
"essmcnt of Washington exceeds that Of
%ebraslla, but we must take into con-
Iteration that values are placed on q
much higher scale in the new and
western states than in the old and
eastern states. 1t Is safe to say that
The newer state is the moro inflated its
I assessment is. There is also another
important item to be taken into consid-
Grafton in estimating the relative wealth
IF cast and west. a large portion o.
Inc west is owned in the east, while
cry little of the east belongs to the
west.
The smallest state in the union is by
10 means the poorest. Little Rhode
slaud, with her 300 square miles, has
higher assessment than those of
+ ,wcnty-six states and territories. OF
he strictly southern states only Vir-
:inia, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas ex-
| ced her in assessed wealth, and her as
5cssmcnt is more than three-Gfths that
| { kentucky. Delaware, the next
mallcst state, has IN assessment less
han one-fourth rs large as that of
,hode Island. THE highest assessed
( lluntion NOR head is ir, Macan ohuspttc