Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-02-28
TOTAL WEALTH OF WISCONSIN.
bill TREATY. Underestimate by Tax Commits.
sion. Commissions Figures OF Farm
Values. They Fall Short Of


In article number we stated that the
estimate made by the Tax Commission Of
the true value of the non-railroad property
OIL wisconsin was at least 81 ,OOO, 100000 too
row. In the present article and in several
OF ITS immediate successors we shall point
out some Of the most important of the err
rors made by the Commission.
III In the report that has Just appeared the
lax commission on page 215 says: 1.-The
commission from the investigation OF facts
and statistics covering a period of seven
years from 1895 to 1901, has ascertained and
determined the true cash value of all the
taxable property Of the state to be the SUM
OF 81, 5O4, 346 600" On the next page or
page 216 of Its report the commission says:
me lowest amount Of the market value OF
the stocks and ponds Of the railways Of the
state state on the average Of seven years 1885
aso after after deduetIons Of lands and collat
these two sums the commission, although 1t
does not draw this conclusion itself, pre-
sents and discusses these sums In such
companies have approximately one-eighth Of
the property Of the state, therefore they
ought in justice be called on to pay like
proportion Of the taxes
IL the railway companies believe that
their property represents One-eighth OF the
property Of the state they would be willing
to bear oneeighth Of the taxes. But they
do not believe that 81, 504, BAG, 600 fully rep
resents the cash value Of the non-railroad
property in Wisconsin nor do they believe
that their properties can on any equitable
If 1t is possible to show that the taxable
non-railroad property of the state exceeds
$2,oOO, 900, then even If 1t be conceded
that the railroad properties are worth
$217 ,So4,O 26, the railroad companies can in
justice only be expected to pay little more
than one-twelfth of the taxes.
We will now show that very large part
Of the taxable non-railroad property was
entirely overlooked by the commission in
making its estimates and the property it
did find 1T greatly undervalued. The farm
ndrrct will ho weld 6rr+
In discussing the value Of farm property
we have the results Of the national census
OF 1900 to guide The census returns
show very conclusively that the Tax Com
mission has great deal Of work yet to do.
While 1t has succeeded better than many
anticipated In getting property on the tax
rolls that formerly to a greater or less de-
gree escaped taxation It's work along this
line is, however, but half done.
Let us now compare the value Of farm
property Of Wisconsin as determined by the
Tax Commission with the census returns
or course 1t will be remembered that the
valuations OF the census are for the year
1900; and that even the census enumerators
did not find all the property in the state.
The very first items compared show star
Ting variations. The census gives the value
on June |, 1900, of the 19,S62,72 acres Of
land In the 169, 795 farms Of Wisconsin as
$3.50 $40, 900. This equals an average value
Of $3.50 per acre, and no fair minded man
VIII contend that this Is more than the
farm lands Of Wisconsin are worth: The
census gives the value on June /, 1900, Of
the buildings on the farms Of Wisconsin as
$3.50, GOA $40. Adding the two sums just
given we find the value Of the farms and
buildings on June 1, 1900, was $3.50, 147 $50
The Tax Commission reported the value
in 1900 of the 80, 9S2. 307 acres Of land in
Wisconsin. together with the value of the
city land, regardless of whether or not it is
subdivded into lots Is of course not in
Guided In this item. This is simply the
value Of the acre land outside of villages
cities buildings this
land.
Those who have compared the census fig
ures and the valuations Of the Tax Com
mission. but have not examined the figures
closely have jumped to the conclusion that
the farm lands Of Wisconsin are now as
sessed by the state board at very nearly
their full value. But such persons have
failed to note that the census returns only
cover the land of the state that is already
in farms. or 10, S62, 727 acres, while the Tax
Commissions figures cover the whole area
of the state that is outside Of villages and
cities, or 80, 9S2,3O acres.
Now let ue make comparison of the valu-
ationS Of the Tax Commission and the re-
turns of the census after the latter figures
have been supplemented by estimate of
| the value of the acre lands of the state out
! side of cities and villages and not found in
! farms; and after all the values have been
brought down to 1902. the date Of the latest
estimates made cE BY the Tax IS S2 on
| Farm lands and improvements other
than buildings $1,000. ...........S $3.50, 542, 900
! Ten per cent. for increase in value
from 1900 to 1902. .......... So, O54 26o
Farm buildings $500. ............ 155, Goa, $40
Ten per cent. for increase in value
from 1900 to 1902 ................ 1850, 497
| Is, $50 acres of standing timber,
ore lands, cut-over lands, etc. 131, 195, 800
Total. Observation-Disclosures. $3.50. 95S, 226
TAX COMMISSIONER S VALUATIONS.
| Tax commissioners valuation of the
land of the state and of the
| buildings the said land was in
1900 .....................s $685., 1926, $50
| Increase in value from 1900 to 1902,
1t being assumed that country, city,
! village lands and buildings have
! increased at the same rate........ 1S,4o9 ,OS9
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1878, 1874 319
| These statements show that the Tax Com
missions valuations instead Of being nearly
| as high as the census returns fall short Of
| the latter by $212, 223 ,9O7, when the valua-
tions are made to cover the same acreage.