The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-03-02
PAYING HIS TAXES.
Village President Sweeney's
Example to Taxpayers.
Reform and TaxpayinR as They Are
Practiced BY the Local Lexow
Leader-His Village Tax.

1
Falls. il has remained silent thus far
upon this subject, hoping that every cit
izen would pay the tax assessed against |
his property for the reason that the
payment of taxes is necessary TO good |
government, and The DIAMOND DRILL
advocates and encourages this principle.
But now, as the time for the collection
OF taxes has expired, it can work no in
jury in the further payment thereof by
giving Co the public the following fncts,
hoping that the citizens whose business
interests are centered here, will give it
careful consideration.
The purity OF official conduct has been
agitated by five or six fellows who live in
Crystal Falls and who pose as the only
honest men in the upper peninsula.
They have congregated in n certain
restaurant in the village and ate epeanuts
until their digestive organs have become
So disordered that their responsibility
FOR what they do or say Is doubtful
Every day and far into the night for the
last six weeks or more they have lived
again in the past, hoping for the dawn of
a brighter political future. They have
recalled the many times they have cx-
pressed a willingness To serve the public
in an official capacity ever since they
have made Crystal Falls their home, and
how each time they have 80 offered
themselves ms willing sacrifice for the
public good, the qualified electors Of the
township have bestowed the official
and more competent men. Therefore,
as last resort, they organized them
selves into a committee, and named it
the Local Taxpayers Association, hop
ing. thereby, TO deceive the voters Of
Crystal Falls i'm the coming election.
Thus organized, they waited upon each
individual who had in his possession
any ,of the public books or records OF the
, county TO find ont what had been done
with the money collected for taxes in
years long gone by. With their pockets
fllcd with peanuts they stood around
on the street corners and told all who
would listen TO them of the official cor
ruption they were going to bring To light.
But the books have been examined and
nothing further has been said, for they
have found that the money has been
; judiciously expended 10 the benefit OF
NIL the people.
+ IL is "a Tact, however, that some things
are carried on in "A stealthy manner so
] that the public in general does not hear
s OF them. For example, Mr. Sweeney is
Y president OF this committee and he is
also president Of the village OF Crystal
n Falls. Now, it has happened that our
/ taxable property OF this village, and for
some reason or other Mr.. Sweeney, who
=, il its president, has had his personal
:. property assessed at four hundred
dollars, and his house and lot where he
=, resides assessed ut only three hundred
;, dollars, making the total village tax
= which he has had to pay less than six
teen dollars.
c Mr.. Sweeney owns the Crystal Falls
e Iron Works, situated at the foot OF
d track and the bridge lie owns the
e buildings, which are also personal prop.
erty, and is the owner OF three diamond
, drills valued nc two thousand five
hundred dollars each and in addition
to this is owner oi n blacksmith shop
and tools, moulds, laths, engines. boilers
and material with which Co work and
carry ON his business, a trotting horse
Al etc, which, at low estimate, are worth
n at least twenty thousand dollars. And
N yet his taxes ON all this property, botl
n real and personal, was less than Other
t citizens were obliged TO pay on property
=. less than onc-iifth the value of MIR
y Sweency'-. In other words, Mr.
q swccney's personal property was as
=. scsscd az the same figure ms the Clipper
?, office, which is practically dead prop
= erty
ir In view Of these facts, is IL any wonder
'e that Mr.. Sweeney would like to be yillag,
n president for another year, and woult
r. also like To- be elected supervisor OF th,
II township Of Crystal Falls that he nigh
be able 90 evade the payment Of tnxcl
which he should rghtiully be compelle,
Co pay?
All Tux DIAMOND DRIIL nsks Of tn
citizens OF Crystal Falls Is To look owe
the tax roll in posscssion oIGeo. T.. Voc
aud satisfy themselves that these fact
are true and cannot he controycrted.
a Compare the amount 81 tax M
ct Sweeney has had Go pay on his thou'
lat andH Of dollars worth OF property, 4
"' the amount other citizens were require
10 pay ON their little homes within th
village limits, and reconcile IL II you ca