The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-02-12

its duty annually is 70 submit schedule
to the various counties as basis upon
which to assess all manner of property
In the various counties. however, the
custom has been for the various assessors
to use their own discretion in scheduling
property for taxation, and in fact, under
the township assessor law, each township
assessor uses his own volition as TO the
assessment to be made. In Logan county
a so horse may be taxed at 80 per cent
of his value, while in Canadian county
$50 horse is taxed. possibly, AT - per
cent This occurs even in the dlHerehl
townships of county, although not 10
such a great degree
The territorial commission would reacn
some plan to equalize the property Vaiua-
ton; as the assessment is now taken the
total valuation of the territory is seVeral
times greater than the tax returns sho"
it TO be- The idea is 10 raise the standard
everywhere and to bring all property 10
a cash value. if possible.
The Kinsfsher county assessor agreed
this wear TO assess on a cash value basis,
and they passed a resolution petitioning
the next legislature to make the cash
value the basis throughout the territory.
There are two or three other counties
that have adopted practically the same
basis but as a rule the basis OF assess
ment is far apart.
Oklahoma county will assess everything
this year at % per cent of its actual cash
value; as rule in equaiizins the taxes
throughout the territory the equalization
board uses Oklahoma county as basis
for the rest of the territory.
This schedule of assessment which is
compiled each year by the territorial tax
commission. is submitted by the board to
the county clerk and by the county clerk
to the assessors of his respective county;
the assessors take the matter under con-
sideration and then as rule do as they
please in the matter; the Oklahoma
statute says that property shall be as
sessed on an equality throughout the
territory. but that statute evidently was
never obeyed, or there never was pen
atty attached
An instance of the great disparity in
assessment is shown in the taxation OF
moneys. Lincoln, Woods. Comanche, Pot
tawatomie Payne, Beaver. Garfield and
Logan assess moneys at their actual cash
value: Dewey, Washita. Blaine, Cleve-
land Pawnee and Custer at 80 per cent
of their cash value; Oklahoma county at
% per cent; Grant county at ~ per cent;
and Canadian county at 20 per cent.
The statutes provide that moneys in
every county shall be assessed at their
cash value.
Canadian county assesses real estate
at one-sixth of its actual value and per-
sonal property at one-fifth
In case the movement. recently set
afoot. to equalize the assessment through
out the territory should succeed as prob
ably it will after a few attempts. then
the question of railroads, that operate in
Oklahoma comes to the front. If the
farmer and merchant is taxed at the cash
value Of his property, the railroad must
come to the same basis. At the present
time the Rock Island. Santa Fe and
other big systems pay taxes at the rate
of 100 per mile of their trackage; the
actual cash value of the property. how
ever, would be nearer So, 600. at the least
per mile. and if the new plan of assess
ment should be adopted the railroads
would have to come through on an actual
cash basis. The general opinion is that
the board, although the principle is right
is up against a hard proposition in that
1t viii be difficult matter to solve