The state herald., 1900-08-24

nsncial troubles. The present financial
embarassments Of the state are not due
to the fusion of the silver parties nor to
the bad management OF any one political
party alone. The state has quite hsa-
Wy debt and is short Of funds and 1t 10
short Of funds simply because the laws
Of the state have not been carried out by
officials, not Of any one party but OF all
parties. In 1877 the state legislature
enacted a law providing that the county
assessors should assess the property Of
their counties ut Its cash value. The
limit OF levy for state tax being mills
1t was thought that this would raise
sufficient revenue for all state purposes.
Had this law been complied with and
the state board Of equalization assessed
railroad property oD the same basis,
there would never have been q shortage
In state revenue during any year Mnoe
that law went into effect. That law en-
acted by republican Legislature is a
good law with one exception. 1t should
have attached u severe penalty to the
violation of the law. People, regardless
Of their party affiliations do not like to
pay tax and no sooner was this law en-
acted than they began urging the county
assessors to make tho valuation low 80
that their state tax would be as low as
possible and urged as precedent for
this violation Of law the claim that IN
neighboring counties the assessor wins
assessing property at less than cash val
tax payers of his county aud being also
convinced that. in order to protect them
against the injustice OF being required
to pay more state tax than the residents
Of adjoining counties, dropped the prop.
erty valuation below the cash value
This disregard Of the assessp rent law has
not been confined to any certain county
or counties but has been general
throughout the state. The state board
} of equalization also comes IN for its share
Of responsibility for the present condit-
ion Of the states tiuaaces. Ths rail road
J companies do not enjoy paying taxes
any more than the farmer or rnnchman
does and, when the state board OF equal
ration met to fix the assessed valuation
on railroad property plea was made
for lower assessment and it was OF
course always based upon n clam that
the assessors had dropped the valuation
Of other property TIL the valuation on
railroad property was too high. A drop
made in the valuation OF rail road prop
cry would be used as an excuse for n still
further drop by the assessors and, by
this continual dropping in assessed val.
ues, it has come to pass that much OF the
, property Of the state Is now assessed at
not more than one third Of it's cash val
: ue and this has finally eliminated in
, such Generalization OF the finances of
the state that many OF the taxpayers
are now wondering what has caused this
! trouble and have not thought for mo-
ment that they are IA part responsible
} for it, Schem'ng politicians are now AT
, tempting TO take advantage of this state
, OF affairs to cause the taxpayers TO a.
dopt the mistaken idea that the present
fusion silver state Naturalization is en-.
, tirely responsible for this shortage Of
3 state funds. There IN absolutely no
foundation wha'ever for such CLAIM.
The precedent Tor assessing property be-
I low Its cash value was established by the
assessors Of the state when large ma
, jority OF the counties were under repub.
lican control and this attempt to throw
! upon certain parties Of the state the re-
sponsibihty for the inevitable results Of
a practice established snder republican
: rule, certainly now comes with very poor
, grace from some republican newspapers
: and party leaders. Let the blame rest
where 1t belongs and that Is with the
i. people OF Colorado regardless OF party
affiliations. II the people had demand
ed ,hat property be assessed at it's full
cash value, It would nave been SO assess.
; ed. II the people had demanded that
the state board Of equalization assess
! rail road property nj its iuil cash value
it would have been 80 assessed. Tho
people OF the state can have this assess.
rirnt law carried out to the very letter.
II they demand 1t, aud Il is only a quest
ion oi whether they will demand 1t or
) force the legislature to provide some
other manner Of raising the stat. reyep.
no. The state IL amply able to meet all
II its obligations ~ they arise year by
yonr snd It is n disgrace To the state that
through desire to AVOID the psymeni
; of n little state tax, tn. peopo of the
stnte are permitting the report 10 go n
broad that Colorado ir bndly emhnrrn.s.
oil on anoount u shortage IN state
/ funds.