The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-02
Something About the New
Tax Assessment.
Unreasonable Criticism of the
Board of Assessors.
where Responsibility for Present
Inequalities Rests.

According to-tho tax lists just COM
pIeted by the board Of assessors the
revenue of the city OF Providence this
wear from taxation will be over $15S, 900
larger than for 1895. This increase has
been brought about by the raising OF the
tax rate from $l.60 to S'.65 on each 800
and by the addition OF s4,447,94o to the
amount of ratable property. That there
will be growing among those who have
to pay the taxes is to be expected.
Grumbling is the privilege OF those
fortunate enough to find their names on
the tax list and very considerable num-
ber of them take sdvantage OF the op-
portunity annually presented to express
their resentment against the assessors
for what they are pleased to call exces-
sive valuation of their property. 1t isa
matter of common knowledge that tax
assessments are not perfect; that they do
not always distribute he.burden OF main
tanning the government equally. but that
10 not the fault of the assessors, as many
persons enormously suppose.
The ssseasors levy on all the property
they can find. and SO far as this levy Is
concerned It Is fair and equitable. There
10 no trouble about real estate, for that
sort of property, fortunately, NO owner
can secrete or sequester for the purpose
of escaping taxation. With persona
property the case Ia different, and prob
ably but comparatively small fraction
of that held in this city Is reached an
nually for the purposes of taxation. In
the view Of unthinking persons, this is
the fault of the assessors, who desire to
favor the rich owner of gilt edge stock,
while, 90 they put 1t, the mechanic who
10 striving to pay of q mortgage on his
little home Is taxed up to the full value
OF the property. This sort of talk is gen.
orally indudlged In by demagogues in
once and Others who want to get In. 1t
appeals to certain class, but never to
thinking or sensible citizens.
Only q few days ago The NEWS pre-
asnted exclusively an article showing that
the board OF tax assessors had made an
attempt to secure from the various ma
tional banks in the city list of stock
holders and the amount OF their holdings
for the purpose of levying a tax, but
were denied the information This is
only one instance of the difficulties en-
countered by the assessors in their en-
dsavor to trace the ownership OF personal
property. There is held here today
millions of property of this kind.that has
not in the past and will not in the future
be levied upon, unless the holders be-
come conscience ce-stricken or the tax laws
are 90 changed az to give the assessors
the right to demand OF stock corpora
tions full and complete list of share
holders.
Not share of railroad stock held In
Providence with the exception of those
IN small local roads which do not extend
beyond the State limits can be legally
levied upon, because the statute says such
levy shall not be made. This statute pro-
vides that personal property that is taxed
or liable to be taxed In another State must
not be assessed here and under this vague
and elastic provision millions of personal
property escapes all taxation. OF course
that IL not fair to the owners OF real
estate, the mechanic with a mortgage on
bis home included, but where does the
blame rest for such an inadequate dis
tribution of the burdens of supporting
the government Assuredly not with the
assessors. for their hands are tied by the
statutes on the one hand ana by the se-
crstiveness of the holders OF personal prop
erty on the other.
This subject of taxation IL one that has
Frequently been discussed and sgitated.
Commissions and committees have been
appointed to examine into 1t and to
recommend desirable changes In the law,
but nothing In that direction has yet
been accomplished. Some years ago a
commission appointed by the General
Assent bly, and headed by ex-Mayor
franklin, tnen Senator from Newport,
made an exhaustive and thorough exami-
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