The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-23

Sultan Journal

Sultan Journal
The first taxes under The new populiSt
revenue law are now being collected. the
tax books for the year 1891 having been
turned over 20 the county treasurer and he,
in accordance with the provisions OF the
law. is proceeding to collect.
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Upon the receipt OF the tYeasurer's no.
tice OF personal property tax a general
outhurst OF complaint took place. There
must be a mistake somewhere: l never be-
fore paid a personal property tax. and
am entitled 10 an exemption on nv tools
and household goods ~ least" IS a COM
mon expression.
The mex: feeling that comes is one CT
fight. II has been such an unusual thing
FOR many 10 pay personal property tax
that the very idea arouses resistance. And
this Is particularly true where a man with
horse and cow and wagon load Of
household goods has TO pay from 81 20 SIS
taxes thereon.
Then perhaps follows a howl against the
Inequalities OF government. the injustice OF
our system OF taxation. the extravaganza
and corruption Of officials and the gem
erai and utter degeneracy OF the times
Naturally large proportion blame the
party in power for the unprecedented in
crease in taxes. and the short notice and
severe measures by which they are TO be
collected.
The cheap politician is out telling the
tax-hurdened people that il is the Repub-
hcan supreme court which is TO blame for
thus taxing the people.
Thoughtful men will take into considera-
ton the facts: The last legislature not
atistied with the exemption OF Si1 worth
Of personal property, passed law raising
the amount 10 seo In addition. the same
law made an exemption OF $500 on i'm
provements on real estate, making the to-
tai amount Of property free from taxation
1900 for each and every householder. pro-
viding he had as much as that
This law was passed with the object Of
beneiitiRg the so-called common people
and piling the taxes on the wealthy Ii
was not long, however. after the close OF
the legislature that the promoters Of this
law began to see that * was not only an
limiting and Illegal measure, but that the
several counties and the state would be
left without funds 10 meet current ex-
penses II some turn were not made TO over
two Populst counties came test cases 10
try the constitutionallty Of the law. which
were taken 10 the supreme court on ap-
peal. That tribunal simply did what was
right. and what prominent Populists
wanted done-declare the exemption clause
Of the revenue law unconstitutional-the
populist members Of the court concurrng.
- -
OF course. this left matters In rather
hg.1 f.asl
of their work when this action Of the SUI
preme court was taken. and rs many-In
fact most Of the people-eNpeCted to 20
scott free Of taxation by reason Of the
large exemptions. they were careless in
the listing Of their personal property and
Improvements. The result Is that this
Populist experiment at "ciuCh!ng" that
underlined ard INDICATED thing they call
the money power" has proven a very ex-
penSiVe one.
And there are not a few who are just
and sensible enough 20 place the respon-
slbility for this state OF things where IL
properly belongs. large number Of tax
payers and voters see now that there Is
such a thing as leaving well enough alone
and that YOU cannot make a man wise
legislator simply by voting for him
- -
The new revenue law is not only an ex-
pensive experiment TO the taxpayers, in
the way above noted. but Il has added
costly machinery 10 the offices of every
county In the state. Under no previous
administration has the cost Of running the
county treasurer's office been so high as
now. The salaries in Treasurer York's
office for the month OF January amounted
TO sis0 50 This is simply enormous. But
no one is 10 blame for Il except the voter
who created "A Populist legislature and
made an attempt to throttle capital
That our Populist officials have no puT-
pose 10 rectify the effects ~ fusion legis-
lative hlunders is shown in the fact that.
notwithstanding tho enormous increase in
the assessed valuation Of property, Messrs.
Joercensou. Whiting and Friars did not
reduce the tax rate. but on the contrary
watched their chance and put an extra
$500 down into their jeans.
From this review Of the case which Is
lust now a matter Of such wide discussion
anyone can see what reform - from a
fuslonIstic standpoint And Il Is also clear
that the people have had quite enough
Of II.
In Need OF Careful Attention.