The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-12-08
BE SLOW IN REDUCING THE
ASSESSMENT.


ers' meeting last Tuesday by reso-
tuition introduced BY Mr.. Jesse Nalle
for the purpose of appointing COM
miitee of five, one member for each
ward of The parish, 10 confer with the
Assessor aud the Police Jury in order
TO reduce the assessment of lands.
Mr.. Nale brought forth plausible and
much-telling arguments 10 show that
property is assessed too high in the
parish. and gave as an example the
Lake place sold by Mrs. S. +. Davis to
Mr.. j. w. Dunn, which sold for $4,000
bnt was assessed S6350. As il is
usually the ease in every mass-mcet-
ing. in which resolutions cut aud
dry, are introduced and the people
have no time for reflection, whcp
especially, in hard times like these, the
resolution is one that will keep few
dollars 10 the pockets, Mr.. Males reso-
luton was unanimously adopted
Time brings counsel, however, and
a cool-headed, thoughtful citizen who
for one hour can forget that he owns
plantation aud pays taxes, will look
nj this resolution in very different
light than be did then, and without
much persuasion, he will come 10 the
conclusion that he had better leave
well enough alone.
Lands in the 9Th La. District Levec
Board (for this 10 the territory in
which we are especially concerned),
have a standard value, about the same
all over the district, the result of
agreements between the Assessor and
the planter on one eide, and the Police
Jury on the other. The average
assessment of lands in this parish is
800 an acre for cleared lands, $l2 to
$l5 for woodlands and so cents an acre
for swamp lands. AT 40 time but the
present has the assessment been con-
sidercd too high but by very few in
dividuals. and no planter though he
was supposed to take an oath as to The
cash value of his plantation, would
have been willing to sell it for what il
was assessed.
Property. ii is true, has decreased IN
value IN an unprecedented way, aud
10 no other cause could it be attrib-
uted than to the financial crisis ouI
country is undergoing, which affects
the price of every staple, and especial
~ the price Of cotton. Only once be
fore in the history of cotton planting
did cotton go down lower that il die
this year, and it was in 1841, when j
fell down TO three cents pound, ant
this year that abnormal price of thu
staple crop of our region has clogged
every wheel, and as consequence
deprecated tho value of lands in sucl
q way that they have no cash OF
market value. As Mr. John Pittmar
expressed il SO well last Tuesday a
the Planters meeting, it is cheaper L
rent lands now than 10 own them
However, tho telling instance brough
forth by Mr.. NaIle TO substantiate hi
resolution for the reduction Of assess
ments, has little logical value, aut
thus merits little consideration. Las
week, two good mares were sold il
Madison parish for $40 piece, aud j
does not follow from this that owner
of horses in this and Madison parisl
will conclude that their horses hay,
only an intrinsic value of $40 a piece
though they might not fiud read.
market for all OF them, even at tha
price. Every one admits that thougl
real estate has lost nothing of its in
trinsic value, yet it has no marke
value, aud that consequently this
the very worse time to offer it 70
sale. If Mrs. Davis sold her propert
at sacrifice, at two-thirds of what
is assessed, it was OF course, becaus
she found it to her interest to do 81
and because she may invest the none
il brought TO her elsewhere, to bel
ter advantage. 1t does not folio,
from this that her action is criterio
10 go by in the value of real estate.
We do not suppose for momer
that If Mr.. Nallc found buyer for b
Ane Pamela estate, which we have n
idea hewiIl find this year, he woul
take two-thirds of the assessed valu
Of bis plantation, or about ST., 900, {
even the full assessed value of i
$4,000, for 6904 acres OF land, res
dencc, fine gin, storehouse, mules an
implements, or 1916 an acre for b
plantation aud throw in the improv
ments.
We cannot help the present crisi