Graham guardian., 1895-08-02
A CRITICISM.
Given by r.. A. Alfred, of Thatcher. on
the Workings of Some of Our
Laws, etc.

of that liberty. In view of these
facts, propose to go slow in my
criticisms on the acts of men,
either in public or private life,
When men are elected to office
their acts, so to speak, become pub
lie property, and if l, or others, do
not approve of their official acts
the right TO say so, and give rea-
sons for the same cannot be ques-
toned.
Now, there are some things con-
nected with our late campaign that
| would willingly forget; there is
one thing, however, that distinct
ly remember, and that is: the can
didates, in their canvass among the
people, pledged themselves that if
elected. they would work on the
line of economy. There is a case
in point to which / wish to call at
ton, and that is the almost univer-
sal raising of the peoples taxes
by the board. 1t is question in
my mind whether the board of
equalization is authorized, under
the law, to reassess the property
after the assessor has filed his re-
port with the board. If they have
we had better dispense with the of
fee. of assessor altogether, and
thereby save hundreds of dollars
paid annually to that official.
Equalization, according to Web
ster, is to make equal. Now, if it
should appear on the report of the
assessor that he bad assessed por-
tion of the people higher for the
same class of property than he had
others, the board should equalize
this by either reducing the higher
or raising the lower assessment so
as to make them equal.
One man might have herd of
blooded COWS worth 500 each, an
other has herd of inferior cows,
worth about $40 each, and the as
SCISSOR says well, they are all cows,
and lists the whole of them at $50
each. In this case the board
should step in and equalize accord
ing to value. But perhaps the
board may assume that the legisla-
ture did not stop to consult Web
ster when it created the board of
equalization and that it intended
to confer upon that body unlimit-
ed discretionary power. ! would
like to see the people make a test
case of it, and let the courts decide
what the Legislature did mean when
it created the board of equaliza-
ton.
Now let me switch off and take
in the style of celebrating the 4th
of July ont here in the "wild and
woody West" In my early train
ing was taught that / should take
part in honoring that great day,
and / well remember how my pat
riotic soul feasted for days pre-
vious to the arrival Of the time,
IN anticipation of the patriotism to
be displayed on the occasion; and
for days after, on the thrilling eff
fects produced by the patriotic
songs rendered and the airs played
by the martial band, followed by
the reading of the declaration of
independence and the laundering
tones of the orator of the day,
which caused our hearts to swell
with gratitude to the men who
dared to say "these colonies are,
and of right should be free;;" but
how changed the scene!
The late celebration at Thomas,
as | understand it, was designed as
a county affair, and this, think is
a better plan than dividing into
little sickly efforts on such occas-
ions. A united effort is attended
with better results. But / was
sorry to see that at Thomas those
patriotic displays were omitted,
and exercises introduced which, in
stead of attracting intelligent,
worthy men to our country, will
only attract the giddy men of the
East who live and thrive on TO.
nance.
Athletic sports are all right in
their place, but on such occasions
we never should give them pref
erence and omit the more weighty
matters.
There is time for all things,
and we should govern ourselves ac-
cordingly.
Before closing permit me to call
attention to the act of the legisla-
ture authorizing the appointment
of an immigration commissioner in
the several counties of the terri
tory, whose duty it is to write up
and publish in pamphlet form the
advantages to be realized by those
wishing to come and locate among
us. This work must be paid for by
the already overtaxed citizen.
And while this expensive effort is
being made to attract immigration
another unwise and expensive act
remains on the statute book which
will have the effect of counteract-
ing the efforts of thu commission
ers. The act referred to is the one
auth nrizinr the hoard to nnhlish