The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-30
LAWS AND
THE AR MER
JUSTICE FOR THEM III THE PRO
VISIONS OF THE LAWS PASS
ED AT SPECIAL SESSION..
/, ,,clD EXPLANATION OF HOW
NEW STATES WILL AFFECT
ALL INTERESTS.

STATE. This rea~ssesSrnent Is 70 De
nade in the year 1865, but the reas-
viii not apply TO TAXATION
Until the year 1906. 1t is by far the
most complete act for reassessnlent
that we have ever had upon our stat
ute books. Heretofore these acts
have followed a beaten path.
Much has been said about the pro
vision that real estate should be as
| sessed at its true and actual value,
| and that this would be especially a
hardship on the farmers. 1t IS con-
| tended now that the farms are assess
ed much nearer their actual value than
any other property. suppose that the
farms of the State are assessed at 60
per cent. of their value, and that 9th
er property, including other real es-
tate. is assessed at only 80 per cent.
Of it's actual value; suppose that all
property is assessed at its full value,
the farmers property would then be
raised four-tenths, while. other prop
erty would be raised seven-tenths. In
other words. the farmer would gain
in the proportion OF seven to four, and
certainly he can afford to do this be-
Cause y tIlt dSci SeeS III iIS iStS ~
taxation. This provision that all prop
erty shall be assessed at its actual
value applies to personal property,
applies to notes, bonds, and to all
other property, as we'll as to farms
and farmers property. Does the
farmer want the town and city lots
and property assessed at their actual
value? Does he want other lands as
sessed at their actual value? Does he
want assessed the large bodies of lands
held by nonresident owners, and
which are not assessed at all at pres
ent? 1t certainly would be to his in
terest to have this done, and has been
before explained and illustrated; but
the farmer cannot have other property
assessed at its actual alu and his
own assessed at less than zeal value,
because there can be but one stan
dard. In order to get justice and uni
formity, and uniformity is justice, it
makes but little difference whether
property is assessed at it's full value.
OF at so per cent Of its value, or at
some other per cent. less tnan its ac-
tual value. If all property were val
ued at its. full and actual value, and
then assessed at one-half of that value,
then all would be assessed uniformly
and equally. But in order TO get a
just and uniform assessment there
must be first a valuation and that val
uation must be the actual value. 1t
must be kept in mind that valuation
and assessment are two different
things. We may say that a farm is
actually worth $1,000. but it may be
assessed at $500; but we must first
ascertain the value before we can as
sess. and we can assess at 100 per
cent. of the value. or so per cent. of
the value, so long as all are assessed
at the same per centage of the actual
value. But if one is assessed at 40
per cent. and another at GO per cent.
and another at so per cent. and an
other at 100 per cent OF the actual
value, then there is injustice and
want of uniformity. But it is evident
that in any system which aims at JUS
tice and uniformity the basis must be
the actual value. That the actual
value may or may not be the cash
value, is made very plain i'll the discus
sion Of this subject in the report of
the Tax Commission, to which refer
ence is here made 1t is there clearly
shown that the assessment of property
at it's real and actual value rather
than it's cash value is right and
proper, and work to the benefit Of the
smaller because for the OBJ
vious reason that the more valuable
the property or the greater it's worth,
the greater between it's cash value and
its actual value. For instance, a
tract Of land worth 81, 700 would
more nearly bring its actual value in
; cash than a tract of land worth $780,
900, because there are very few men
: who are able to make Il purchase in
: Volving $780, 600, while there are very
t many men able to make a purchase
involving $1,000. so that the cash
value of the 81 900 tract would be near
er 81 900. than would the cash value
, of the 500, 900 tract be to 500, 900.
J Article Y of the Constitution re-
5 Quires all property, both rea and per
sOnal, to be taxed in proportion to Its
value"-section 80 of chapter 30. OF
the code, provides that credits shall be