The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-10

According to former reports of this
department. it appears that the real and
personal property of the State has been
gradually decreasing in taxable value
FOR the past five years.
The report of 1891. covering the tax
returns of 1890, shows the aggregate
taxable yalu" w ItH1 and personal
property to have been S242. AS, S91.
The current report 1S9O covering the
returns of 1896, shows the aggregate tax
able value Of the same kind of pro-
perty to be 500, SJ4. 400 The decrease
IN value. therefore. from 1890 to 1896
Is S12,595. 392. At the present rate of
taxation this decrease i'll the taxable
value of real and personal property jh,
wolves a revenue loss to the state fund
of $4,000. and to the public school
fund Of $4,000, in round numbers.
AS compared with the Auditors l1-
port of 1896, covering tax returns of
1870, this report. covering the tax re-
turns of 1896, shows d decrease in the
taxable value of real and personal pro-
perty of $1.006 722.
The course of declination in taxa
bic values, here shown" says the Audi
tor I'M his letter. has been persisted i'll
since 1891, Notwithstanding the WELL
known fact taat there has been IN APP
preciable augmentation of business in
vestmcnt factory building. municipal
improvements. etc. There must he
causes for such conditions. and these
causes must be discovered and dealt
with before any rational effort can be
made to prevent further decline i'll
values
doubtless that period Of acute bust
ness depression known as the panic of
of 1898" had much to do with the
impairment of values. and the impetus
of that period is probably felt up to
this time in estimating the taxable value
of property. Whatever adverse infu-
ence such cause as that may have on
taxable values. must ordinarily be sub
mitted to by a State. with a knowledge
that it. ai2ne can prescribe no remedy.
"But there may he causes with which
tina Sat \ian ideal effectively, ,7nd
among them may be reckoncd the fla
GRAVITY apparent carelesSncss and in
capacity of n considerable number OF
those to whom is entrusted the work
and duty Of primarily listing property
for taxation. a statement of fact car
not be violated in asserting that toe
often list-taker is a man who gets Il
little Job rather than IL man who l.
qualified for this very important work
of the State The general consequence
is an irregularity in the annual returns
of tangible and immOvable property that
is astonishing. For illustration. it may
be stated that the minimum number OF
acres of land listed IN any one year
during the past ten years was - ,2S7, :
466 acres this was in 1891 The
maximum number of acres listed in any
one year during the past ten years was
2S.71J,324: this was in 1888. These
figures show difference of 1427 .SJS
acres between the Listing of one year and
the listening of another. 1t il
impossible that land can get III
and walk out of the STATE
during TIE term for tax listing in ono
year. and show itself for listing another
year. 1t therefore evident that there
is some looseness in the system of list
ihcompetency on the part of those
charged With the duty of primarily
making up the tax LIST.
THE irregularities in listing of course
begin in the counties. and it may be IN.
tereSting to note some Illustrations as t.
the differences that have occurred there
In doing this. note will Ike taken of tho
returns for the last five years. viz.
1899. 1894. 1895, 1896, and 1897. For
instance one county (Alamance) re-
turned for taxation in 1893 234.0OC