The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-08-19
THE LISTING AND
COLLECTION OF TAXES.
coDecfon Of Facts and Figures Showing Some Strange
irregularities in the Public Business Of the State.

..ns county Officers Convention
m.. o. Norehead City, July q, %
nd ,,,I o. the State Auditor delivered
| ne following ADDRESS;
...,r.f review some facts and
j.. ,orre,nlng the listing and re-
lsu' ~ Iand-a species OF property
nsu htob i always visible, and which
W. -.t Jacrease or increase in nat
roe, ,nnccsenrepen.. nc The most relia-
ia' h a:;ttorjty accessible shows that
~ 20 ,rsia the State 50 ,25O square
W. "N. of terr tory. Reduced 70 acres,
.', s,ea is - 100000 square acres.
:, ,bls area within State bounds
uever. there are 800 square
uis. & or 2JlS,000 square acres of
~ster These figures show the net
%onnt Of actual land in the State
. measuro up to 31,091 200 acres.
Eba number Of acres of land return
for taxation in 1896, according to
be Auditors report for that year |
rs gs.0l97iS. 1t appears, there
orn. that there are 3,071 ,452 acres
land in this State which were not |
stqd fox taxation for the year 1896.
from this must be- deducted the |
mount of land included in town lots
fbe number Of town lots was 80, 900 |!
round numbers and allowing !
auacra for each town lot, which |
ga fair average, it appears that 1O,-
lO acres are listed as town property,
ktbout reference to the measure
rent per acre. We then have dis
reparcy of 3,0Gl ,452 acres between
he number OF acres of land contain
n in the State, and the number of
cres listed for taxation The con-
usion is therefore forced, that there
as either been considerable laxity
B the matter of getting the land on
he tax list, or that the State owns
bore than 100000 acres. From
uch records as are accessible, there
no way to conclude that the State
WINS 50 much territory. If we should
rant that the State owns 1000 900
cres, which is very liberal esti-
bate, there would still remain more
han 1000 900, acres of land unlisted.
he average valuation Of land ac-
prdng to the tax assessment in this
tate is about $4.00 per acre. At
bis average, 1000, 900 acres of land
re worth $4,000, 900, and q failure
list this land for taxation at the
verage value per acre shows a loss
taxation to the State and counties,
nder the present constitutional tax
Ute, of more than $52, 900 per year.
There are several facts that might
kove interesting in connection with
is particular matter of listing
Ind. For instance, the minimum
pmber of acres of land listed in
be year during the past ten years
as 27,287 ,466 acres; this was in
pol. The maximum number of
md listed in any year during the
lst ten years was 8,715, 324; this
hs in 1888. These figures show a
ference of 1.427 1853 acres between
70 listing of one Year and the list.
* of another. 1t is impossible that
nd can get up and walk out of the
ATE during the tel m for tax listing
one year and show itself for en-
btment another year. 1t is there
re evident that there is some loose
Pss in our system, or some laxlty
iueompetency on the part of those
larged with the duty of primarily
akiug up the tax list. If there are
400, 600 acres of land in the State
lat can be listed in one year, under
|dinary conditions that amount of
md should appear on the tax list
fery year; but from 1856 up to 1895,
10 differences from one year to an
her, or from one year to some
her year, have ranged from 1OO,-
y to nearly 100000 acres. For
e past seven or eight years there
Is been q gradual decrease of the
bmber of acres of land listed, un
the difference between the nun
Pr in lSoS and 1895, amounted to
pout IO0,0 900 acres; an area which
puId make five of our average size
|untles. The failure to get this
nd on the tax books regularly from
Far toyear, (snd if it appears thereon
be year it should, generally speak
g, appear thereon every year) on
lis y loss to the States revenue
hleh, under our low rate of taxa
nand the necessities and expenses
the government and public insti
hons, 1t can i'll afford to lose.
A curious fact In connection will
e listing of land for the past sew
al years is the valuation at whicl
mas been returned: For instance
1854 the number of acres of LAM
turned was 2S, ,46S,000 acres. /
Is valued at $l02 800, 900. AT tha
ne Iaud and real estate of ever
araeter was held to be worth NOR
an anybody holds it to be wort
cIay, and yet strange to say, i
20 . 0O0,O00 acres OF land ar
|Iued at $l10, 900 900. So, accord
I to the assessment or vsluatlo
iieh zen has prevailed, it appears tha
'4UO 200 acres of land were wort
'VVO 900 less in 1884 than % 900 90
re are worth in 1896. This, it seem
NE, shows some radical defect an
egularity in our system of asse
e1t; for the common cry from on
OF the State to the other now
al land is worth from ten to twel
nve per cent less in 1895 and 1S9,
an IN 1854 and 1887. If it shoul
happen in the valuation and q
sSment of land for 1897, or in Il
At general assessment under o,
eSent system, that the value I
na Mould be made to correspor
Va the present general sentime
10 It's comparative value, we wou
STAN in this particular alone
IS IN taxable values of from ten
enty-fve million dollars; and tt
lhe present rate of taxation won
ean loss in State and county re
ue of from $50 900 to $3.50 900
e year.
Inc irregularities in listing
urSe begin in the counties, and
De interesting to note some ill