The Press., 1895-10-31

marriages and deaths inserted free. C0mmunt- cations received without signature always con- mitted to the waste basket without attention.
 Tuesday was the one hundred and thir- ty-first anniversary of the Hartford Cour- ant. No other paper in the United States has been continuously published so long under the same name and in the same town. The Courant we'll deserves it's long term of existence and prosperity.
 The announcement of General CampOs that a conciliatory policy is the wisest for Spain to pursue in Cuba, and that 100, ,OOO more men will be needed to suppress the rebellion unless such policy is followed, is equivalent to saying that the rebellion is quite success so far. Madrid is great ly sobered by the news. It looks now more than ever that the rebellion would be a success, as it deserves to be.
 Next Tuesday elections of state officers will take place in good many states, and the election in New York City will be watched with great interest to see wheth- CT the defeat Tammany sustained last year will be repeated.
 The trial of H. H. Holmes, which was begun Tuesday in Philadelphia, will at tract unusual attention on account of the number of crimes of which he stands ac- cused, though, of course, the evidence cin will be presented. The opening of the tlial was marked by scenes out of the or dinary; the prisoners counsel retired from the case because unable to secure a lawyers assigned by the court, and the selection of a jury was proceeded with while he acted as his own counsel. Judge Arnold showed plainly that he was not to be trif1ed with by either the defendant or the lawyers whom he claimed to have discharged. A capital case of extraOrdi- nary interest has seldom, if ever, before been opened under such peculiar circum- stances. Holmes conducted his defence the second day until the evening session, but the foolishness of his venture was forced upon him, and he requested his counsel to resume charge of the case, which they did. The defence must be very weak and the public may expect a verdict in a very short time.
 The state board of equalization has suddenly experienced a spasm of virtue and very kindly informed the town asses sors throughout the state that public opinion demands drastic measures in matters of tax valuations, and they, the state board, have decided to obey the law, and equalize the town valuations accord individual instances of low valuations. All this, and more, is supplied in circular letter sent around the state. It means a disturbance of practices and modes of pro- ceedure in making up town abstracts lia- ble to cause much vexatious labor and annoyance to the assessors, and disturbing surprise to the taxpayers. Without doubt some towns in each county will conform so near to the letter of the law that their abstracts will be passed by the state board, while other towns will have their lists turned back upon them, and revised and raised to the ideal of the state board.
 This may seem 8 small matter in its finality, but it opens more possibilities than at first appears. For instance, SUD- pose a certain part of our town abstract is based upon values returned at 75 to 80 per cent. of the possible market value; a certain other part is listed at 45 to 50 per cent; still another at 30 to 40 per cent. Now comes the state board and orders the abstract raised to 100 per cent. values. If the advance is made at one stroke and every list raised iD proportion, horizon tally, there is a great injustice perpetra- ted, worse than the one sought to be rem edied. On the other hand, if each indi- ridual list has to be gone over, time as an element, enters into the matter, and 1t will be well nigh impossible for the lists t) be completed, passed upon by the board of relief, and returned within the time specified by law. Again, suppose the town at it's annual meeting lays a tax of 20 mills, which ordinarily raises about 26,OOO, some time after comes the state boards demand for revision upward; up goes the list, and instead of 20 mills tax on about $1 BOO, ,0OO, we find 20 mills tax on about $3, ,0OO, ,OOOin the works. How 'loes the letter of the law and the virtue of the equalization board affect matters then? To avoid possible disappointment and injustice, would it not be we'll for the town, at it's annual meeting, to instruct the assessors in the matter, and bear in mind possibilities when it lays the tax !? It is not necessary to criticise the law, able minds have shown the iniquity of it's working, and perhaps little experience under the extreme nicety of the statutes may bring together body of legislators who will give more respectful treatment 10 board of tax commissioners than that shown the commission turned down few years ago.
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