Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-10-04
PAPER TIGERS AND SUB TERFUGE.

PAPER TIGERS AND SUB TERFUGE.
Attorney General Sheets, speaking
for the State Board of Equalization,
claims that the Board has no right to
Increase the aggregate amount Of the
valuation of railway property as
fixed by the County Auditors, and
hence that the railroads cannot be
made to pay the share of taxes which
their real value,-or anywhere near
it, warrants.
When confronted with the undis-
puted fact that this same Board has
in former years made such increase,
this astute attorney meets the situa-
ton by saying: "The claim that the
Board heretofore has exercised the
power to raise the aggregate valua-
tlon of railroads Is without founda-
ton. Never, during the existence Of
this Board, has it MATERIALLY in
creased the aggregate valuation of
railroads as fixed by the County
Auditors. In so far as 1t has ever
made any increase 1t has been INCON-
EEQUENTIAL,--a mere INCIDENT
to proper equalization of the valuation
of railroads. For it is perfectly ap-
parent that in the equalization Of rail
roads, absolute maintenance of the
aggregate is practically out of the
question"
The very fact that when an out
nageous injustice upon the mass Of
the taxpayers of the State is thus
about to be perpetrated, under the
plea of an absolute legal disability
to right the wrong, and the claim is
met by proof OF n practice to the
contrary, no better answer is offered
than the miserable subtcrfuge above
quoted, ought to be enough to politi-
cally damn any party in whose inter
est the act is done. The excuse ten
dered reminds one Of the dialogue in
Marryat's novel, "Mr. Mldshipman
Easy between the mother of the
future MILDLY and the prospective wet
nurse:
What, have you not been mar.
ried?
No, ma'am, not yet
"'Good heavensv
"'If you please, ma'am,' interrupted
the young woman, dropping n courte-
sy, IL was a very little one.
"A very little onev exclaimed Mrs.
Easy.
Yes ma'am, very small, indeed,
and died soon after 1t was born"
The really serious question, how
ever, is whether the Democrats can
take advantage OF this exceedingly
vulnerable point of attack by sending
out as its speakers to press 1t home
upon the people-who know little
something, and can, upon occasion,
see through a ladder, themselves,
job-lot of railroad attorneys, who are
thus put to the dlsagreeable alterna-
tive of hurting the public or hurting
their clients. The permanency OF
their Jobs contrandicates the doc
tors say, the latter. We wish II We're
otherwise.
And this calls to mind another story
we heard of once: a person was sued
In down east court, for divorce, on
scriptural grounds. The evidence
seemed conclusive, and there was no
opposition. Nevertheless. the court
denied the divorce, and when remon.
strated with by the attorney In the
case, said that while the proof WAS
clear, they were not entirely satisfied
that the offense was committed in
good faith.
SO 1t seems TO us that IL .olc
may question the good faith the
earnest denunciations OF tax x.doagnr.
which these gentlemen will indulge in
from the stump, and their vehement
protestAtons OF loyalty to the Demo
cratic platform, whereof the cardinal
plank is this same grievance OF the
shyness of railroads about listing their
property for taxation at Its real value
or anything Ike it. The delinquents
need not fear. Paper tigers don't hurt
any one, and between passes in tho
pockets Of the County Auditors and
retainers In those OF their LAWYERS.
the railroads are practically immune.