The sea coast echo., 1894-08-25
LErTERs FRoM rHE PEOPLE.

/ LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
ITHE Echo is not responsible under
any circumstances for the views express
ed by correspondents.
UT st week was one of unusual interest
to the taxpayers of this city and of hard,
unpaid, dlsagreeable and thankless work
for our "city fathers" in their revision
and equalization of the municipal assess
ments. With few exceptions, all valua
tions of real estate were raised at given
pro rata and with regard to the market
values of the different sections of our city
Whilst every effort was made and good
intention exhibited by the mayor and al
/, dermen, the result was not perfect. The
assessment of st. Stanislaus college and
st. Joseph's convent was looked into and
the mayor called the attention of the
board to Section XXX which says:
"Thqt all institutions oflearning, char
| table, ETC., and those incorporated were
exempt from taxation unless carried on
for profit.
And therefore there was no alternative
but to assess those institutions and there
by deal justice to all. The mayor in his
argument stated that the financial needs
of the city were great and that debt
existed and as the burden was upon the
tax payers. that it was right and just that
each property owner should bear his pro
rata share and that notwithstanding the
fact that those institutions had never
been assessed in the past. 1t increased
the necessity of correcting wrong from
which the tax payers had so long suffer
cd and as the members of the board found
no difficulty to agree on the question of
assessing or raising the assessments by
the masses, regardless of their poverty
and if "dealing justice to alp was to be
their guiding star, then it was their
bounded duty, made so ny their oaths Of
office to leave their likes and dIslilees
aside and certainly and positively not
to be influenced by the question OF reli-
gion.
AS an observer, and at times very
close one and one of the many who advo-
cate the right of thinking for himself, l
did not fail to observe among the ar-
dience great degree of interest mani
tested and overheard conversation be
tween two gentlemen and the elderly one
close their "sotto voce" argument with
the remark "There is no doubt in my
mind as to the sincerity of tho manage
ment or those institutions to do right and
nothing else, but it is evident, how ever,
that they failed to recognize the necessity
of taxation and the duty of all to bear
share of it and therefore it should not
have escaped their notice. That if it is
right and just for any one to do a thing,
he must do it of his own free will and not
wait until the strong arm of the law
forces him to do so
/ have not failed to notice that 1t is the
general opinion that those institutions
should be taxed and as the mayor said,
he was only doing his duty acting as an
instrument in voicing the wishes of his
constituents and that be would do so re-
gardless of his anticipated business losses
consequent upon his action in this matter,
recognizing fully that whilst he might be
prosecuted by few he would reap his
reward from the knowledge of having
done his duty, impartially, irrespective
of color, financial conditions or religious
belief.
1t is now left to the people to study
the case closely and applaud or condemn
the action of the mayor. Whosoever
you would that others should do to you
even so to them. More Anon,
Respectfully, -.