The Meeker herald., 1902-01-18

The Corporations and the STATE
Revenues.
Ths Colorado Springs Gaxette. oue Of
the leading and most Influential papera
in the state. is stalwart Republican
paper. but this fact doesn't seem e
keep It from discussing mattsrs affscs'
ine the public welfars In spirit Of fair,
ness end without partisan bias. Last
winter it treated the work Of ths Thir-
teenth General assembly In spirit Of
fairness; and since the corporations
have taken the new revenue. law into
the courts It has discussed that measure
md its relations to the general TAXPAYER
lin tAs same spirit.
Undsv tb% csptipu Of "1he CcspcsA'
tions and tie 6sats Rsysesss." lait
Thursdays Gazette says:
"The revenue law enacted by the iaji
legislature undoubtedly contains many
Jaws besides those already passed upcn
BY the courts. The history Of legisfs-
tion in the various states shows that II
10 almost impossible to frame comprs-
hsndvs rsvenus measure which = not
subject 10 some sort Of techniasl attspk
bY skillful corporation attorness ~
such history shows equally clearly "
folly Of such attacks BY the corporatiodl
Such attacks are generally made for III
sole purpose Of avoiding just and equa
taxation and not for the alleged purposd
Of preventing sxorbitant and unjus(
taxation. y.
"Tbe large corporations Of tho ccuntsy
ere usually handled very considerably
By the taxing authorities and It y ~
dom that their property ID taxed In "a
equal ratio to thst Of private persons.
"The large corporations Of Colorado
eomplainsd that their propsrty VA
taxed out Of al proportion to the lsvy
upon private property and they sought
ralisf in the courts and to obtain such
relief they assailed tho validity Of the
revenue act in % far - It Spoiled to
them.
"The courts sustained them and nov
thsy have submitted . proposition to thu
state board of equalization that Il that
body win not increase their aaDs1sments
any more, relatively, than TIE aasess.
ment has been incrssssd upon private
property they will cease their contest
and will pay their taxes. This proposi,
tion looks fair upon the face Of 1t but
no person knows half % well that 1t is
not fair ~ do the very corporations that
propose 1t. For yeas the large corpor.
ations OF Colorado have not paid any
thing like their Just share Of taxes fol-
the maintenancs Of either stats, county
or municipal government, and - . con.
sequence private property has stood
vastly more than it, fair share Of such
taxation to mako up for the partially
shown to the corporations BY the taxing
authorities.
"As rule for tha past 20 years the
state board Of equalization has been IN.
duly partial to the corporations coming
under its Jurisdiction to be assessed. and
1t was chiefly for that reason, We sur.
mise, that the last legislature undertook
to vest tho taxing Of such corporate
property In tho state board Of assessors.
"By throwing the proper proportion
Of taxatieo upon the corporations. al.
though the demands Of the state are
much, greater than ever before, the
relative burdens Of taxation upon pri-
vats properly was greatly leseened and
d coarss the corporations would BE- glad
to accept tho ratio Of Increase upon
private property y . basis tor fixing
their alseasments.
There is NO doubt that the assess
ments Of the state board Of Assessors
upon the corporate property Of Colorado