The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-04
SAME WAY IN OHIO.


u lions of taxation.
The peaceable wars OF the next genera
iionsreyolve around this proposition: How
can we secure fair valuation of all prop
erty for taxation? The last North Caro-
lima, Legislature, adyertent to the gross
inequalities, made the Corporation Com
mission an Assessment Board. They are
required to, go every county in the
State and squaHze'the assessments.
The difficulties that beset North Caro-
lima trouble every other State, in greater
~ "a 38f less degrse Tom Johnson, the new
sss..s.4 a,iayor OF cleveland, is going TO try to-
spreyont further gross INEQUALITIES in that
sify. In a'rseent Interview he said
1.-The injustice of the present methods
of taxation is one thing L hope to see
changed. / don't believe in taxing pro-
~ gress. l don't believe in taxing the rails
and the rolling stock of that street rail-
~ road out there. do believe in taxing the
:. enormous valuable franchises they have.
And there is such glaring injustice in
the way the very franchise taxes are
levied
Take the case of our local Cuyahoga
Telephone Company for instance. 1t has
Id u less privilege gets less for its tax money
than any corporation perhaps III the city.
1t is assessed at $4,000. Yet there is the
Lake Shore Railroad. which runs for miles
along the lake front and through the
heart of the City and ~ as only assessed
az s4l5eovs sbere gdu Aayes the corpora
zion which gets the most from the city
~ naying less in taSesahsn the corporation
~ Which gets the least.
- q .,xsIssbeeve that cans pe 1essly changed
II will not take more than three or four
alterations BY the Legislature in the laws
1qniring ) about : ssf sfA that is more
fssh In war In edu he NH lie
generally to sharper appreciation of
lass .glaripg eixlj ustieest SfafeN 6nit sway
low to do this is by publicity. Before
as elected mayor set competent mento
2rlssaaking mars ofsthe CITY BY etions,
5ps thar Win show 5ssst NH tFeash par
of property is assesssa SThepe the
&risys4 sin;us fispsF ana Inconsistencies in
le method of assessment will stand out
a2ll san see lhsEts4s GA ssslatee sssiaain
5Ject lesson. The work is going on now
and will 20 until it is completed Then
,,e,.n .the snaps .will,be hung up here In the
SHt1s tSty- hail where, all can have access TO
WIS n 1Eeinl Then people ean see Just what an
,yfar tnRfairi state of things exists That is the
- Publicity that is needed and (which the
aE,E ybenehofafies OF the presen ways OF doing
things do not want.
And speaking of the matter of the
inequalities of taxation again the in
equality by means applies exclusively
TO The disadvantage OF the very small
property owner. There was in point
~ here the other day that noticed where
parcel Of property Euclid avenue
assessed at $500 foot while the
owner of II was trying his best TO sell
il for SaG00 foot and couldn't The
parcel next to ii the other hand was
KS assessed at so or, 40 per cent of its value.
g,E TINT merely shows the slipshod slovenly
N.Y. 1tiapner OF the assesors sfhe assessing
ssslkS rushed through in lsuch hurry for
one thing. that it cannot be DONE with
a. siesSbhings line the care it houId receive.
Ssss'sSAh& that is where the large concerns
have the little fellow at such disad-.
! vantage. They can hire lawyer at
$4,000 or mere a year to stand over the
j assessors, @hile5ithe little fellow can't
hire anybody and has to take his chances.
And what chance has he got of being
kept down to}hig Just and due proper
ton ,ins the face OF such odds?
but aside from that the REIMBURSEMENT
ofs the taxes to-a sound, fair basis is sim
ply plain business common sense, and it
Asaohe OF the things that ! hope TO see
brought about here in Cleveland. The as
sessing should be done in the most public
way possible. and with the same care
and deIiberation that should be given to
any business transaction of such enor-
tnous Importance. That is the first step
spen broad daylight publicity. And the
FIRST thing to be most publicly exposed
Is a plain diagram of the gross inequality
and Injustice that now prevail
Publicity is needed in North Carolina as
Well as in Ohio. =,