The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-02-07

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price," mean the same Ching. The!
mean 1.-The price or value of the article
established or shown by sales public o.
private, in the way or ordinary bust
ness"
"A sale is a matter of fact not Of
opinion, and is direct evidence OF the
real worth Of the thing sold. Indeed
the price for which an article Is bough
and sold constitutes it's market value.
(63 Connecticut, 493th page) Judge
Beardsley has held: Because proper
ty has to be sold to settle an estate, OF
TO raise money for necessary purposes
does not make UGH sale a forced
sale" so long as it was volun-
tarily made. In 33 Cal, report
page 266, we find that a sale, whether
forced or not depends not upon the
mode of its execution, but upon the
presence or absence of the owners con-
sent"
We submit, therefore, that this pro-
posed act is In accordance with the ex-
listing statute in the principle of assess
ment.
1t is claimed by some of the assessors
that real estate should be assessed at
the price that it may bring under some
especially favorable circumstances some
time in the future, perhaps six months,
perhaps three years or five years hence.
This believe to be entirely against the
provision of the statute, and entirely
contrary to the principle of assessment,
which Is applied to personal property of
any kind; stocks, bonds, merchandise,
horses, carriages, and so on, are as
sessed at what they will bring, and
even less than they will bring on the
| first day Of October. Why then should
real estate be assessed at more than it's
market value at that time? But we be-
, heve that the present fair market value
may be ascertained in much less than
two months, which is less than the
minimum period which can be fixed I'M
der this bill.
1t has been claimed by some that the
remedy furnished by this act ought to
be available In cases where the assess
ment does not exceed 25 per cent above
the just valuation. On the other hand,
1t has been thought by some that this
bill would result in too much real es-
tate being offered.
After careful consideration, we deci-
ded to submit the bill upon a basis of
an offer of 80 per cent of the assessed
valuation, believing that after the more
fragrant cases are remedied, that at
later session Of the general assembly 1t
would be very likely wise to increase
the percentage to IS or 80 per cent.
We have conferred with many citi-
zens of judgment and experience in diff
of ha 10 ia
this measure, and the opinion has been
general that the act ought to be pub
lie one, so as to extend it's operation
over the whole of the state. We were,
however, unable to learn that the same
need for such an act throughout the
state exists, and apprehending that 1t
might result in opposition, If we asked
legislation for the state as a whole, we
have presented the bill as special act
applying to New Haven. We need
hardly add that if the representatives
of the state generally should deem it
wise to frame such bill applying to
the whole state. we should esteem it as
a compliment.
In limiting the application of the bill
to New Haven, at the present time, we
consider that the average man Is slow
to approve of a unique or original meas
ure, no matter how meritorious it may
be, and we thought 1t perhaps too much
to expect shat even though this be a
highly deserving measure, that the peo-
pie of the state generally should desire
1t to apply to the whole state until 1t
had first been tried in New Haven.
1t may be said that iudicious and
lust board of assessors and board of
relief would make such law unneces-
sary New Haven has apparently been
unable to secure such boards and a
great need exists. This law is of such a
nature that If we are SO fortunate as to
secure such assessors and board of re-
lief, the law will not be put to use and
will do no harm, while as long as such
a need exists, or if such a need should
arise hereafter, this law will provide,
as we believe, the most direct inexpen-
siye. logical and conclusive method of
remedying fragrant valuations
upon real estate.
The bill advocated by Mr.. Rowe, as
a boye detailed, Is the one drawn up by
the legislative committee of the Cham
Der of Commerce and unanimously en-
dorsed by the Chamber. The gentlemen
who appeared and spoke in favor of the
OF the bill on Tuesday were |
ex- Lieutenant Governor Dewell, Henry
c.. Rowe, General George H. Ford, Will |
liam S. Wells. General e. e. Bradley, |
ex-Mayor Farnsworth, Henry II. Blake, |
and Attorney Charles S. Fowler.
Members of the committee of the
chamber of commerce state that they |
found at Hartford that a good many |
men from other parts of the
state expressed the idea that the bill
by the New Haven chamber
Of commerce ought to apply to their
sections of the state. The New Haven
men replied that they We're willing to
ny the workings of the bill here in New
Haven, and If other parts of the state
we're DESTROYS of enjoying such a meas
Ire there would be no objection on their
part to having a general statute enact
ID on the subject.
SNOW AND ZERO.