The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-17
upon truth and fact, are not usually
accepted as competent testimony.
Something more is generally required
by all Investigating bodies.
sUsPIcIcusLy LIKE SPITE.

Whe. her he has q spite againS
the entire craft of the state is includ
ed in his wrath is not known, but i
is evident that n or the other is the
case, otherwise Senator Biggs would
not have seen fit to introduce what is
known as senate bill No. So. The bill
is for a law to do away with the pub
LEGATION of the delinquent tax lists
1t is true that the author of it claims
it to be a TO- in the direction Of
economy, a proposition to save the ex
penditure of public moneys. But this
argument does not hold good. The
money needed for payment of the
publication of the lists does not come
out of the public treasury. The per.
sons whose property is advertised are
the ones who must foot the bill, the
COST of the advertising being added
to the taxes, consequently the senator
cannot take refuge behind the plea
of doing something that is for the gen
eral good.
Instead of proving a benefit to the
taxpayers, such a law as MI. Biggs is
DESTROYS of having enacted would
prove downright injury in the long
run. Publication of the delinquent
tax list is a measure of protection
and information. 1t is a preventive
of mistakes and the imposition of
either intentional or accidental wrong
upon taxpayers. 1t affords the means
of a check upon a public official and
therefore should be regarded as a
guard against dishonesty. But more
than that; it is a bar against the deal
ers in tax titles, some of whom are
known not to be over-scrupulously
honest and who would rather carry
on their business secretly and secure
title to property they could not OBJ
tain if the present law of publicity is
continued.
Then, too, the law is directly bene-
fetal to the counties. 1t prevents
many people from becoming delin-
quents who without it might allow
their taxes to become in arrears, but
who through the dread of the COM
ment that would follow in many cases
pay up within the time permitted by
law in order to save their pride. Fur
thermore, it may be said that publ
cation of d~elinquents has in many
instances saved property from being
sold the taxes upon which had been
paid, an error in making out the tax
list having been responsible for it's
entry as delinquent when in reality
claim against the property existed.
The many benefits following publ
cation of a delinquent tax list have
become so we'll known and recognized
that the custom obtains in about ev-
cry state in the union and each has a
law upon the subject. The senator
should know that no unusual or ex-
burden is imposed upon those
whose property is advertised. The
additional expense in a cas- where
property is advertised is but nominal
and therefore it cannot be said that
any great saving would be made for
delinquents should his bill become a
law.
Summed up, the measure has moth
to- recommend it, while everything
that can be said on the subject is
against it, and it's existence On the
files Of the senate a only be ex-
on the theory that Mr.. Biggs
S possessed of that desire only too
often cherished by persons who have
either real or imaginary grievances
against others and which is popularity
md expressiyely known as a wish to
get even"