Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1904-02-25

NOtnlnR was omitted and addition
we're made to cover AL possible ell,
ments of cost Of reproduction. In 10
case OF the Pere Marquette this meth
cd resulted In a total OF a little owe
s2S 600, 900 and we were able TO satisf
the board Of assessors year ago tha
In some respects this valuation wa
high.
METHODS OF ASSESSMENT.
"Now. what would the manufactur
Ing aud business interests OF the stat,
say II their property we're assessed OF
THE basis. Suppose the assessor,
should employ force Of men to go tC
each business institution and take ar
Inventory OF every article and struc
ture and value everything on the basis
OF the cost OF reproduction, and asses.
taxes on that valuation. / apprehend
tnat there would soon De such public
sentiment created by that course as TO
bring about Legislative relief very
quickly. But the board OF assessors
for this year has valued the Pere Mar.
quette At over s37 ,0OO,t0C and II we al.
low for the small extensions TO our
lines during the past year and the ad
ditional equipment purchased, it fol-
lows that, on some the,ry, several mil.
lions OF dollars have been added TO the
valuation fixed by the exhaustive de-
tailed method which Ihave mentioned.
We are not informed IS to the method
ny which this last ys.uatiou Is reach
ed The state board 10 not r, quired TO
state Its method, bu 1t seems clear
that 1t must have Seen by folloAine
some method not followed In tho case
Of any other class ofproperty.
Although 1t Is Tot acknowle dyed.
the assessments indiate that the uoard
must have adopt ID the so.caled ne,
earning IN 'ory; that ia. CAPITAL. zing
u come arbitrary rae the mel eirnlt o.
IT the railroad and calling that The
value OF the propery, which Is an in
come tax, not n pop 'rty tax. Doe,
Any ons know OF an, such method be.
ing following In tie case 0f prlvat,
property? Has an. manufacturer G,
merchant been askd To produc. h's
hooks or to disclose how much be has
made In a given yer?
Has the property ofiny mlnu'act1rer
or merchant been as sseG by capital.
izing the earnings o bis business? Tn,
constitution OF the tste provide- 'n |
uniformity Ia taxs,~rOn, YET ruilroa'
properly 10 uosr, assessed on plsn ma
erynly CT mt fro that followed Il
MORE MONEY RAISED THAN NEEDED.
Aud what are the results OF IL all
The railroads are asked t0piy into tn
primary school fund a total Of nearl
~ OOO, 900 In tax 9 Tor 1903 and II | an
correctly informed, many Of the scho
districts OF the state already have NOR
school funds than are needed 10 NEE
the ordinary obligations Of the stric
aud are loaning their funds. Does az
one feel that his taxes are any less o
account OF this new method of railr' a
taxationp l have not heard that an
one recognizes any such relief.
The system adopted in 1901 is :
peculiar 10 It's operation that II, for "a
ample, a muuic psllty In the uppe
peninsula decides to build court hous
. bridge or any other public structure
is increases the taxes of every railroa
company In the state, whether its lin
enters the upper peninsula or not; an
there 10 no provision In the law, a
cordiug to the decision in the Detro
school board case, Whereby the rate
= taxation applied TO railroad propert
) may be equslized.
"Now, In what have said do n,
(. wish 70 be understood as questionir
: the good faith OF the mbers OF IL
? state board OF assessors. Neverthele
D believe that their assessment OF u
Q Pere Marquette is grossly excessiv
Q and on basis that violates the spir
OF the constitutional provision as
Q un formity OF taxation and that the r
2 suit 10 unjust TO the Pere Marquet
Q and haemful to the business interes
J. OF Michigso with which 1t is so close
connected and that sooner or later pu
lie sentiment will demand modiic
Il. tion Of the law SO as TO bring abb
more moderate results"
A. AaIvtu G,,,tt1,,a