, 1901-06-13

me people, 1t seems, have
gotten into the way of thinking thai
the poll tax is a road tax, and as they
do not use the roads. they cannot see
why they should be taxed to keep the
roads in repair for those who do use
them.
This is an error. The poll tax is not
a road tax, and no resident between
the ages of 81 and 80 years, be he a
citizen or not, man or woman, is eX
empt. The law is a provision of the
state constitution, and could not be
amended or set aside to exempt any
one by the Legislature if that body SC
desired.
The poll tax is applied to the public
schools of the state, and the delinquent
taxes in Albany county is a depriva,
ton of the schools of the county in
just that sum. In Albany county alone
more than $4,000 in poll taxes is de.
%linquent. and to the collection of this
the officers are now bending their en-,
ergies.
The country treasurer was given au,
thority by the county commissioners
to employ a deputy collector whose
sole business would be the collection
of these delinquent poll taxes. but Mr..
Reals. the treasurer. was unable to find
anyone who would undertake the work.
they fearing political condemnation for
enforcing a just claim against men and
women, who seem to nave an idea
that a delinquent tax notice is a per.
sonal and premeditated insult.
In the straits to which the treasur,
err n collector was driven County
and Prosecuting Attorney Downey un.
dertook the work. and during the last
few days more than 400 notices similar
to the following were sent out, the
blank being filed in with the amount
Of taxes the person addressed owed:
Laramie, Wyoming, June IL, 1901.
Notice is hereby given to all deliu.
quent tax payers that the board of
county commissioners of the county of
Albany, Wyoming. has directed that
all delinquent taxes due the county
shall at once be collected according
to law, and the said taxes have been
placed in my hands for collection.
The board has instructed me to re-
quest, by this letter, the prompt pay
ment of all taxes due from you and
others before the collection thereof
is made by suit or d%istraint or seizure
of property. Nou know that the coun.
ty can attach your property and sell
the same, or that it can have Il garnish.
ment against your wages for the
amount of your personal taxes and
Costs.)
1t is hoped that you will promptly
respond to this request and pay all
taxes due from you to the county of
Albany and thus save the enforcement
of payment of the same. as it will save
you heavy costs.
The amount of taxes due from you
is --dOllars.
Please pay the same at once to
Charles A. Reals. county treasurer, at
his office in the court house at Laura.
mic, where he will be found during of.
flee hours.
If the above amount is not paid with.
in ten days suit will be commenced for
the same.
Some difficulty was encountered this
morning from some volunteer firemen
of Laramie, who contended that they
were exempt by law from the payment
of poll taxes, and when told to the con.
tIary, declared they would no longer
serve an ungrateful municipality which
refused them exemption in cases where
such exemption would be a plain and
explicit violation of the laws of the
state. The only exemption is that OF
members of the state militia, who are
relieved of the payment of road tax.
The poll tax is assessed against all
alike, and 1t does not matter whether
the man or woman is a citizen or not,
just so he is a resident of the state or
county at the time the a Is payable,
In this school district, where the dis.
trict is about $4,000 in debt. the pay.
ment Of all delinquent taxes would
Just about square the district and
make it all the lighter on the taxpay.
ers. The children of the schools are
provided with free text books, and this
fund, in districts where a large amount
of poll tax is allowed to become de
linQuent, makes the burden of those
who do pay all the heavier.
The county attorney declares he will,
do his duty in the matter, regardless Of
any effect it'may or may not have DO
litically or otherwise, and will endeav
or to make the burden Of taxation fall