Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-14
Mr.. L'SDEPARTURE
CONTINUED from First Page.)

mislead any one in relation to this issue
but during his trip he has frequently re-
ferred to the proposed increase of the as
sessment value of real estate and said that
there would be next year a decrease of the
tax levy from 30 cents to "A cents per hum
dred dollars for state purposes
He has constantly warned farmers and
other owners of real estate that they would
next year find their bills would be very
much greater than they were for the past
year. That is about the way he left the
question. The fact is the tax law that was
passed at the special session of the legis-
lature provided that the levy should be de-
creased the first year from 80 cents per
hundred dollars of valuation to 81 cents,
the second year to ID cents. the third year
and thereafter cents per one hundred
dollars of valuation.
Purpose of Tax Law.
The declared purpose Of those who passed
this tax law has been to secure a uniform
valuation of real estate. They claim that
farm lands are now assessed at about 60
per cent Of their true value. They say
that If this assessment is increased so tnat
1t Is in fact raised to it's true value the in
crease will be but 10 per cent whereas the
reduction in the levy will be from 35 to
cents, or but 1t Of the present rate.
The net reduction. they claim. will make
the farmers tax less than they have been.
On the other hand they will secure the
deficiency of the tax money by very con-
siderable increase in the assessment on
city homes of the costly class, on coal land
ana on an increase of taxes certain cor
porations. For instance, there are many
business houses and private residences that
have sold for from $4,000 to $4,000, and
are assessed for 5000 or $1,000. Under the
new law they will be assessed at their full
value. 1t is declared that at Wheeling the
Western Union Telegraph pays $40 taxes,
while the Postal pays $2.55. That is SIM
ply tax on their furniture and equipment
In their offices. Under the new law all of
their poles and wires. leased operated.
within the state will be assessed according
to their true and actual value. They will
also be assessed on the actual capital en-
ployed within the state.
Revenue From New Law.
The revenue to be derived from breweries
and distilleries under the new law will be
increased from 5000 to 100000 There are
other license taxes to swell the aggregate
amount of the revenue. The new tax law
also provides for making assessment more
uniform in different portions of the state
In the past one farmer may have had his
sheep assessed at 50 each. while he could
look over the fence of his neighbor, who
lived in another county, and see his sheep
running about with an assessment of only
81 on them
Railroad companies, car lines, telephone
and pipe line companies will be assessed in
their actual values and will yield far more
revenue. The banks will be required to pay
more tax
The result of all this, 1t is claimed is
that the state tax on farm land and on
small homes will be practically wiped out.
Notwithstanding these claims of the re-
publicans, the activity of the democratic
railway bureau during the last three weeks
has been so great as to give the democrats
statement very great force
Very naturally the result of the new tax
law is largely problematical, and will re-
main so until it has been actually tested by
anf0rcp"ant fnn Of fhn fir1
question to a large extent open for specu-
latlon ana debate. G. E. K.