The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-08-25
Equitable Taxation.

The action Of the county board OF
equalization in making what is practi-
cally horizontal increase in the as
sessment of property listed for taxa
ton in this county is more than likely
to be followed later by similar action
by the State board. That board will
no doubt follow the precedent estab-
lished last year of making a general
increase all along the line. Of this
there would not be much cause for
complaint if we had any assurance
that all classes of property were to be
treated alike or that they had even
all been listed by the assessors. But
there is no evidence to warrant us in
reaching this conclusion. Indeed the
reverse is VIGOROUSLY the fact. 1t
was the opinion Of an eminent author
ity that in 1000 at least One-third
Of the personal property of the State
escaped taxation altogether and that
Of the property listed and assessed
probably twenty-five per cent virtu-
ally escaped taxation owing to our
defective tax laws. Since that time no
material or important amendments
have been made to our statutes and
the same inequalities still exist. These
the increase in the valuation of tangi-
bic property will only serve to ag-
gravate and make more glaring. I'm
der any possible system of direct tax
alton neither the farmer, the merchant
nor the small manufacturer can in any
way escape taxation. Their property
is in plain sight. 1t is they who have
in the past paid the lions share of the
expenses of government.
Whose, then, is the property that
evades taxation? Who are the tax
dodgers? The more this matter is in
quired into the palmer does it appear
that the tax evader is neither the small
property owner nor the poor man.
The tax evader is ninety-nine times
out of a hundred the man who could
best afford to contribute towards the
support of the government. He is
the man of wealth who can easily hide
the securities from which he derives
his revenues. Or he is the manager
Of the great corporation whose assets
he does not hesitate to undervalue.
Indeed there are thousand and one
ways in which the man of wealth
eludes the tax gatherer and if he can
do it in no other way it is often more
economical to corrupt the revenue
officials than to make fair statement
of his taxable property.
This state of affairs cannot be
re1nedied by such increases in the as
SCISSORS returns as can be made by
boards Of equalization. They do not
get at the root Of the trouble. Some
thing might be done by more string
ent administration Of the laws in force,
but not much. The situation demands
Intelligent and effective legislation.
And in order to secure legislation of
the kind needed the people themselves
must take the initiative in electing rep
resentatives who will be capable of
enforcing their views. The amend
ment Of our tax laws in such a manner
as to secure the equal taxation of all
classes of property is business prop
osition rather than political one.
1t is one which means money in the
pockets OF every farmer in the State.
It should not be lost sight of in the
consideration of those minor affairs
with which it is the custom to attempt
to obscure the vision of the voter
Mortified News.