The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-10-21
27,952,IOI
Increase on Lands, Improvements on
Lands and Lots and on Improve
mems BY Republican Board Of
Tar Commissioners.


trsted on the people OF the state Of
Indiana than has come through the
policy OF the Republican Board OF Tax
Commissioners in fixing the assess
ments OF lands and improvements on
lands in 1903 under its assumed power
TO "eQualize" assessments. Fifty Of
the ninety-two counties in the state
have had their assessments on this
class OF property increased. and the
aggregate reaches the enormous total
Of 81. .g5z. .l0l. the burden falling large
ly upon the farmers. whose taxes are
necessarily increased in proportion
When the Republicans In their state
convention in 1892 denounced the tar
law as "odious" and Mr. Fairbanks. as
chairman OF that convention. declared
that II ought TO be radically revised"
Il was not supposed that the Demo
Gratis would deviate from their policy
OF forcing the corporations to bear
their just proportion Of the tax burden
OF the state. and until 1895 they ad-
hered TO the policy which was inau-
gurated By them when the law was
enacted
But the Republicans have ignored
the demands Of the people and have
steadily reduced the assessments OF
railroads and other corporate prop
erty I'LL the net reduction. when the
increase in main. second main. side
track and rolling stock Is considered.
amounts 10 more than $4,000. 900
But the board recognized the necessi-
~ OF keeping up the payments on the
state debt. and. in order that these
should not be decreased. the specious
policy OF making other classes OF prop
erty pay II was adopted There be
ing but the two classes Of property
private and corporate-in the state.
OF course the only place 10 put the
assessments was on the former. and
this has been done at the expense
largely Of the farming or agricultural
sections
In the effort 20 carry out this pol
icy the judgment OF the local assess-
ing officers had 10 be ignored. but
the Republican board was equal to-
such an emergency. County after
county had its assessments increased
I'LL In some OF them the values were
raised more than 100000 1t Is a
remarkable coincidence that the total
reduction of corporate assessments
In nine years. when the increased
mileage IS considered. aggregate about
325. 900 900. while the increased assess
nents on lands and improvements on
lands reach a total OF s9T 600. 900. III
the board had been trying 10 make the |
increase IN the assessments on pri- |
vate property compensate for reduc-
tions In corporate property II could |
hardly have struck a nicer balance.
That these results have not been
brought about by accident is plain
when all the circumstances are taken |
into consideration. Everyone knows
tha; the value OF corporate property /
has not decreased In the past few
years. and IL Is equally true that farm
property in the state has not increased
In the proportion that the assessed
valuation would make & appear And
thus. while the corporations are pay
Ing on less than the value OF their
property. the private citizen is paying
on a valuation that is purposely pad
ded 10 make up for reductions In other
values. In Allen. Gibson. Greene.
Lake. Laporte. Marion. Posey and
vigo the increases exceed 81 900. 900
10 the county. and in many others they
are in excess Of $500. 900. The follow
ng table shows the counties in which
hese increases were made In 1903 and
he amount OF the increase in each: