The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-04-09
A BOOMERANG FOR WHITE.

The farm lands in Cass Co. are as
sesscd at S6.7S an acre. In Barne.
Co., they are valuedat S33I.S33 an acre
Cass Go. has no representative or
the state board of equalization
Barnes Coz had a representative
there for the past four years in tho
person of Gov. White. Trail Co
lands are assessed at $500 an acre
being an increase of 30 per cen.
over the value as returned by the
county. Trail Go. has no repre-
sentation on the equalization boar(
but will have next year if it's can
didate for Governor is successful
as he probably will be if the PEG
pie Of Barnes Co. decide to retire
Gov. White. AS a plain business
proposition is it to the interest Of
the land owners Of the county to
turn the governor down. Is it rea.
sonable to believc.th if the county
loses the representation on this
board that the chances are much
in favor of a material increase in
NE assessed valuation of the farm
lands Of the county. Perhaps the
values would not be put quite as
hlg! as they are in Cass county,
nor as high as they are in Trail,
but ii IS almost certain there would
be an increase that would be felt
when tie farmers came to pay their
taxes. If the assessable value Of
the land should be increased a dol
lar an acre. the increased tax would
be between three and four dollars
on a quarter section, the tax rate
for the state and county purposes
being about two per cent. If the
value of land Was raised two dollars
an acre. there would be a CORES
ponding increase in the tax. And
ven if the raise should be two
dollars an acre, land values, for
purposes Of taxation. would be less
here than they are now in Trail
Or Cuss counties. 1t is a simple
business proposition. AS long as
Barnes county has a member of the
state board of equalization, the val
ues Of land and other property for
purposes Of taxation is very apt to
be maintained at the lowest posi-
bic point. When Barnes county
loses it's member of this bourl, val
ues will be raised and there will be
an increase Of taxation. The state
board of equalization is composed
OF the governor, attorney general,
treasurer, auditor and commissioner
of agriculture. The governor has
looked after the interests of the
county in this matter for the past
four years: wouldn't be we'll to keep
him where he is two years more.
Isn't to the interest Of farmers and
business mel to retain him in his
present position. Think it over.
The above is from the Valley
City Tines Record, Gov. Whites
mouthpiece in Barnes county, So
that is the reason Gov. White is
wanted for a third term, is it? The
state requires a certain amount Of
to pay it's expenses, which,
under this INSTRUMENTATION, are
beyond what they should be,
and as a member of the state board
Of equalization, White keeps the
levy down in his own county below
what it should be at the expense of
Mclean and other COUNTIES out
west. Lofty craftsmanship this!
What a platform to go before the
state on! This is a par with the
spineless record he made on the
$ merger question and public in
stitution extravaganza from which
the Supreme Court saved the peo-
pie. 1t must be a desperate case
in his home county when an appeal
is made in his behalf that, us gov
ernor, he'll give Barnes county the
best of it as against the balance Of
the state. 1t ought not to win in
Barnes county-it condemns him
elsewhere.