Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-04-09
THE WEALTH OF MISSOURI.
An Increase Of Over SIS ,OOO, 900 Noted
for the Past Year.

state Board OF EquallZatlOn gave u
the following statement tonight:
Having completed the work, the
State Board of Equalization desires to
say to the local authorities that it has
experienced the usual difficulty re-
sulting from gross inequalities in the
valuations made by assessors and lack
of uniformity in returns. The board
found horses assessed all the way
from S13.s5 in Livingston county to
S33.4S in Carter county. The general
average of the assessed value of
horses in all the counties was S21. Sc.
The board endeavored by increases in
some cases and decreases in others
to bring all horses to something near
the general average. In doing this
the information at hand concerning
the comparative character of the diff
ferent counties and the general char
acter of the horses in each was given
due consideration. What is true of
horses is equally true of other de-
scriptions of property, both real and
personal.
1t is very difficult to make an en-
tirely satisfactory equalization under
the circumstances indicated and with
the limited Information at hand, but
it is believed that the results reached
are as nearly just to all sections of the
State as they can be made. The ag-
gregaie values placed upon all prop
erty by the assessors has not been
materially changed by the increases
and decreases made by the board.
The aggregate returns, as made by
the assessors, was S946, 0OO, 1873, while
the aggregate of values, as fixed by
the board, i'd S945, 971,7lO, being a de-
crease of S2S,66S. This, however, is
an increase over last years ASSESS
ment of $l5,313, 485.
The returns as to the banks are in
adequate, imperfect and utterly lack
ing in uniformity. Some returns we're
made under the (old) law as it APP
pears in the Revised Statutes, and
some were made under the new law
passed in 1895. Inasmuch as the act
of 1895 did not 60 into effect until June
II, 1896, while the returns were made
for June |, 1895, it is a question of
doubt under which law these returns
should have been made. In view of
the confusion incident to these imper-
feet returns, and the doubt as to the
law applicable, il is practically impos-
sible for the board to undertake to
equalize the bank stocks of the State
as between the banks themselves or
az between the banks and other prop
erty.
There is an utter lack of data upon
which to base intelligent action.
County clerks have been asked in
many cases to correct their returns,
but they say their returns to this
board are based upon the assessment
lists filed in their offices by the as
SCISSORS, and they cannot change them.
The board might bring the assessors,
clerks and bankers of the State be-
fore it, and by a personal examina-
ton obtain data upon which to base
action and correct inequalities, if they
exist; but that would require so much
time and entail an expense so large
that an effort of that kind is regarded
as wholly impracticable. The board,
therefore, has determined not to dis
turb the bank returns as submitted
for this year, but instead to recon-
mend to the local boards of equaliza-
ton that they SO equaiize the property
of the banks in their respective coun-
ties as to place the same upon an
equal footing with the value assessed
against other classes of property. The
local boards can readily and at com
paratively small expense ascertain the
true value of bank stocks, ETC., and
can easily make the adjustments. In
order to secure more exact and uli-
form returns in regard to the banks
in future, the secretary OF the board
has been directed to prepare a special
blank, under the provisions of the act
of 1895, for the use of the assessors
and bank officials, and it is believed
that these returns will hereafter be
more satisfactory.