The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-20
question for the Candidates.

AQuestfon for the Candidates.
Which one Of the candidates for the gu
bernatorial nomination of the Democratic
party viii have the courage, in the cam
palgn which has just opened. to take
stand in favor of the equaliza ton Of tax
alton? This is a question in which ev-
cry Taxpayer in the state is profoundly
interested. 1t is question in which right
and justice and the rate of taxation are
involved.
The state treasurer, Mr.. Speer, Is quot
ed as saying that under the next state
tax levy there will be ninety-one counties
which will draw out of the state treasury
more than they VIII pay into It, In other
words there are ninety-one counties, no
one of which will pay a cent towards the
support of the state government. the pub
lie schools or pensions for Confederate
veterans. And yet these counties have
controlling voice In the state Legislature.
1t is in their power to say what laws
shall be passed and what laws shall be
repealed. They virtually fix the rate of
taxation, and yet they do not contribute
anything 10 the support of the state. The
amount of money they get from the school
fund and the pension fund is greater than
they contribute to the state.
Did Judge Atkinson have this outrag-
eous condition of affairs in mind when
he said, in the declarations he made in
the letter announcing his candidacy, that
he would, if elected, lower the rate of
taxation by having assessed property
which now escapes taxation? If so, he
ought to come out boldly and say so. He
would make hosts of friends in the coun-
ties which now bear the whole burden of
taxation, and he would win the approval
of all far-minded men in the counties
which now escape taxation for state pur-
poses.
But how, ii may be asked. do these nine
ty-one counties escape paying their legiti-
mate share OF the taxes for the support
of the state government? The way they
do it is this They elect tax receivers
who assess property. for county purposes.
at ridculously low valuation. They do
not build bridges nor improve roads, nor
make any appropriations for schools.
Therefore they need very little money for
county purposes. The property is return
ed for state taxation at the same valua-
ton put upon 1t for county purposes. The
consequence Is that the state does not get
as much from them as it pays to them for
public schools and pensions. If a tax Ie
ceiver in any one of these counties should
assess property for state purposes at any
where near its real value, he would lose
his Office. And so, from year to year, the
great wrong of making one-third of the
counties bear the whole burden of sup
porting the state government is repeated,
and no public man has the courage to
raise his voice against it.
The men who cry out against heavy tax
alton come from the counties which, prac-
tically, pay no taxes. and they would
probably do their utmost to defeat the
political aspirations of any one who should
attempt to make each county bear it's fair
share of the tax burden.
Some years ago the legislature did Gre
ate board of equalization, and the first
year of its life it increased the assess
ments $1s,OOO.OOO. That didn't suit the
counties which practically escape taxation,
and so the equalzing board was abolished.
The present campaign offers a splendid
opportunity for the discussion of this
question of equalizing taxation. Col. Can
der and Judge Atkinson are advocating
a lower rate of taxation. Has either the
courage to tell the ninety-one counties
that they must submit to an assessment
Of their property which would make them
a help rather than a burden to the state
treasury? And would not Mr.. Berner rem
/ der the people a much greater service by
| demanding the equalization of assessments
than by making war upon corporations?
1t is true it Wouldn't be quite so popular
with the people of the counties which viz
tually escape taxation, but is he not will
| ling to sacrifice a little popularity for the
! sake of being right?