The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-10-01

The fact that the appointment of
deputy assessors must be approved by
the county board does not improve the
law at all. The party that can elect
the assessor can usually elect ma
jcrity of the county board, so as to
control the selection of the deputies
OBJECTIONS TO THE LAW.
i. 1t is undemocratic and takes
away home rule. The right of the peo-
pie to select their assessors, that is
the men who do the work, is taken
away. A county boss is chosen and
he with the help of his political
friends) run the assessment for the
whole county. He may send a man
from Kearney to any country precinct
10 do the assessing. His party man
ayers may select the deputy asses
sors for him. The voter cannot help
himself nor have anything to say as
to the man who shall assess his prop
erty. 1t centralizes power in one man
and his political managers.
This is another step in the central
ization of power. When the old board
OF supervisors was abolished a long
step was taken toward one-man pow
er in county government. True, we
were left with seven supervisors in
stead of rs, but next time they will cut
Of the other six and leave us only one.
Farmers all over the county are suf-
fering these wet years FOR want of
supervisor in each township to look
after bridges. One man cannot look
after five townships and get washed
out bridges replaced, without great de-
lay, especially when the railroads con-
fsscate the lumber and piling ordered
by our contractors.
Every time the right of the people
to govern themselves and do their own
business is cut down a great wrong
is done. Our New England forefathers
were wise when they established the
town meeting where the people met
once a year to do their public bust
ness, to govern themselves. But here
in Nebraska the right of home rule is
being gradually taken away. All pow
er is being concentrated into the hands
OF a few men at the county seat. Vot-
ers, will you submit to this any long
er? Will you now approve law that
takes away your right to elect the
man who assesses your property?
2. The county assessor plan is in
the interest of the railroads.
The railroads, under the new rev.
enue law, have practical control of
the state board OF equalization and as
sessment, SO that no great raise will
be made in the assessment Of their
property. Next year it will be as
sessed at about $27 100000, the same
as this year, when in fact it ough
to be $70,000,000
But in the last legislature it was
planned to raise the levy Of taxes in
the state SO as to get 100000 extra
to pay off the state debt. (All made
by the republicans.) This extra ST.
100000 will be levied upon farm prop
erty, real estate and personal prop
cry in the state and railroad property
will go free because their assessment
will not be raised as the assessment of
other property will be. The farm that
pays tax this year of 500 will be
taxed from $24 to s2S next year, and
every year thereafter. All taxes ex-
cept those on railroad property will be
raised next year from Is to Is per cent.
This is to be done with the help Of
the county assessor, under the new
revenue law. In the legislature last
winter the railroads run things to
suit themselves and they fixed the rev.
erue law just as they wanted it. They
will put money into the campaign this
year to help elect the man that suits
them for county assessor. And you
may be sure they will not help elect
George L. Richards of Odessa, the
populist candidate for county assessor.
But they will help elect his opponent,
or try to, for they will fail to elect
him.
8. The county assessor law will
help machine politics. In this county
there will be at least 25 deputy as
SCISSORS. These are likely to be politi-
cal strikers and workers, chosen as ::
reward for their work in politics. See
what chance it gives to a corrupt
party to hire two or three men in each
precinct to get to work in the cam
paign, on a promise Of appointment as
deputy assessor. Every voter that is
posted knows that there are some
party managers in Buffalo county who
will do just this thing. So the law
helps to breed corruption in county
politics.
Voters, you are all interested, vital
ly Interested in this campaign. Your