The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-04-12
EQUALIZATION IN TAXATION
THOUGHTFUL ARTICLE FRorI
THE MONTICELLO PRESS.
State Revenue Agent VIII In
vestigate County Assessment
Rolls.

Rolls.
The fact that the State Revenue
Agent has struck the records Of
Monroe county in the effort to
discover who have lent money,
taking deeds of trust, and which
were not turned in for taxes, is
significant, to say the least of it.
In fact, it means something. It
means a good deal more than is
printed, and it doesn't take
person possessed of more than
ordinary powers OF discernment
TO perceive the natural trend Of
events. We may readily infer
from the manner in which the
Revenue Agent is proceeding
that as soon as he gets through
with the railroads, and the trusts,
and the corporations, and the
county officials, that he will then
devote his attention to the small
er fry. Nothing is palmer. 1t is
simply a question Of time. The
move TO extract Just dues from
the money -lenders who have thus
far escaped taxation is branching
off in this direction. From the
money-lenders he will descend to
the common people, and then
there will be slaughter galore.
This brings us TO The assessment
rolls, and word here, by way Of
explanation, would be in order.
1t is known Of all men that the
assessment rolls of a community
are far below the true value Of
the property assessed thereon.
This is sad commentary, but
nevertheless, it is only too true.
Men who claim TO be honest, and
who would have the world UNDER
stand that they are above the
shadow of reproach, have formed
a habit, along with those OF
whom nothing better is exp ected, +,
of giving in their property far
below what they would take for
it. Some are candid enough TO
admit the fact, but justify their
action by the statement that their
neighbors are doing it, and that
it is unfair for them to be honest
and thus bear the burden of tax
alton. They do not stop to con-
slider that two wrongs never make
a right. They cry out that the
trusts and combines should be
taxed more, and they are trying
to escape taxation themselves.
We are not taking the side Of the
trusts, but we contend that when
the core Of an apple is unsound
the corruption spreads until the
whole apple is affected. The peo-
pie must get right. Special at
tention is directed to the oath
which a man takes when he rem
| ders a list Of his taxable proper
| ty. Here it is:
"Do you solemnly swear (oI
affirm that the list of property il
just and true account OF all the
property you are required to rem.
der as subject to taxation in your
own right, or that of any Other
person for whom you ought tC
give in taxable property, tha
you have estimated and put dowI
the value Of such property, not a
what it might sell for, but a
r what you would be willing ant
' expect to accept for it if you werl
making a voluntary sale Of it
: and you have not lowered tn
r valuation because your neighbor
: or others, have placed low esti
d mates on the value Of their prop
e erty, or because they are in tn
s habit Of 80 doing. So help yo
!, Cod
: Oil how lightly do some peopl
regard their oath, and what lit
: attention they pay to it. Thu
i the very poor people are tryin
n as hard to eyade just taxation 9
fhe rich is evidenced by one iu
it stance, which we shall relate:
e man came to a certain county OF
ficial not very long ago with
tale Of woe as to how his take
I. were $40, and he didn't have bu