The Columbus journal., 1904-11-02

r. A. TAYLOR,S TAX.

AAsAAes &c
Since Mr.. Taylor is . Journal sub
scriber, We shall address ourselves to
him personally. And we shall be glad
to publish any reply from Mr. Taylor
in which he can disprove . single
statement made In the Journal con.
corning the revenue law in general,
or q applied to Nj. Taylor's individ-
nal property.
Now Mr.. Taylor, g IN honest man,
get your 1908 and 1904 tax receipts,
take your pencil and figure with rs.
The total tax ON your choice quar-
ter in Butler Township was el2.4l. in
1908. In 1854 1t will be S22. l6.
This total, Mr.. Tayolr. is made mp
Of state. county, school district and
township tax. The state tax may be
fairly charged. II you please. to the
new venue law and the republican
state assessment board. The county
levy il the work Of tho county SUPER
visors, and tho school. and township
tax to your local officers, and not the
work of tho now revenue law. Now.
Nj. Taylor. Your state tax in ::19OS
was o. % while in 1904 1t will be 8. 81.
IN increase OF Ss.29.
That is. the state asks you to con-
tribute toward its expenses for main
tanning such institutions ~ the state
university. Is. SO. ON . farm that is
worth about 5000, which is about 69
one.thouandth Of 1 per cent.
In 1908. Mr.. Taylor. your farm was
assessed at $40. 1t would have sold
for ut least 5000 ON the market.
You were assessed, therefore. on about
one eighteenth OF its value, while
other property va assessed ut about
ono eighth Of its value. Answer.
honestly, Mr.. Taylor, VAS your land
assessed high enough in 1858?
This year your farm was assessed
$S2O, under Q law that required all
property to be assessed ut M fifth Of
its value. Would you take $4,000 for
your farm, Mr.. Taylor? II not. can
You complain because your land was
valued 100 high? But to 60 to the
main question. Your tax is nearly
doubled in 1901. The total increase
is 1916. Only !. 29 is state tax,
charReable to the new revenue law.
the balance. g. 6 being chargesble to
local ASSIGNMENT officers.
Your county tax is increased from
s.. IS in 1908 to S9.74 in 1901. An in.
crease OF nearly 81. Why: Because
Platte county could not raise enough
taxes under the old Law 70 pay expenses
and had to tax you that much higher
under the new law to enable them to
pay OF tho SIS. 900 deficit carried over
from 1908 on which you are nov pay
ing your share of the z per cent in.
terest which these outstanding war.
rants are drawing. and to provide
against such . deficit in the future
Your school district. tax has in
creased from 81. 20 in 1903 to q. GO in
1904, IN increase of q. 80, or nearly
ESQ per cent. Why? Because your
board OF directors probably overlooked
the fact that with . higher valuation.
they could have raised a much taxes
with . lower levy.
Summing everything mp, Nh. Taylor.
is 1t not true. that your taxes this
year would have been increased Just
t2.2s making . total OF 81. 20 instead
Of ga. 16. had there been no extra
demand in county and school district:
And, to be honest. Nj. Taylor. do
you object to paying . paltry g. %
additional to the state on IN 5000 farm.
that has doubled in value in tho last
ten years and ON only ono eighteenth
Of the value of which fyou were nay
ing taxes in 1908?
And before you lay down your pencil,
just figure the state tax ON your three
horses. In 1908. thew we're assessed
ct $l9. The state levy was 81 mills,
making your tax SIS. In 1904 these
same horses were assessed ut $.24 The
state levy 10 6 mills, making your tax
Eli.
In conclusion, M. Taylor. tho re-
publican candidates for the Legislature
stand ready to offer any desirable
amendment to the new law. The
democratic candidates promise to de-
molish the law ass whole, and promise
nothing in its place. But neither set
Of candidates could force the local
assessment authorities Who are respon.
able for the most OF tho increase in
your taxes. TO lower the levy.
Place the responsibility for your
taxes where it belongs, on
your county supervisor and school
Reverttng to NJ. Berae. there may
be si9nificance in the fact that he de-
livered his Omaha address in Q hall
which was decorated with more than
three hundred largo pictures OF Parker
md Davis. the engrayines being hung
- closely together that there evil
IDENTIFY ~ not room to andWich In
ono Likeness Of Watson and Tibbles.
the nominees Of the party which NJ.
Berge il ~pretendiag 70 represent. And
the secl1sion OF . stage boz, John
n. Baldwin, railroad builder, and r.
L. Hetnalfe. railroad hater. oommuned
one with tho other and nodded en-.
to Mr.. B3ree..
M. Folk Of Missouri merely stepped
into Nebraska 20 peove that his State.
pne OF tho few In the Union which
hAs IN Anti.pass law. has more hood
|srs 20. tho square mile than any
stases in Anerca. This only
ldds streagth 70 N already strong1