Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-03-30

/ The assessors of Berkeley County
have mailed to each taxpayer a blank
upon which he is to list bis property
| for taxation and also letter from the
state tax commission explaining the
law and the duties both of the tax
psyer and the assessor Our dear read
er have you carefully pcrused this letter
and the blank? If not let us advise
you to do SO, for this is no light matter.
What you puton this paper must be
sworn to by you and of course you
cannot afford to perjure yourself.
BY carefully reading these blanks and
the law regulating assessment you will
see that the assessor is made an in
quisitor to spy into every private bust
ness transaction of everybody and to
uncover it on the public records. Here
is an extract from the letter in question.
"Do not fail to list carefully all your
money, credits and Investments. The
money of every person, firm or incor-
pOrated company i'm this State is sub
feet to taxation whether such money
be in or out of the State, County Or
ders, stock In building and loan asso-
Citations money loaned, notes, book ac-
counts and other evidences Of debt, and
all investments should be listed. The
county records will be examined to as
certain what money In secured by
mortgages, trust deeds, ETC., also for
property In the possession Of or under
the control Of receivers, trustees, ex-
ecutors, administrators and other per-
sors acting in fiduciary capacity and
any attempt to conceal this class Of
property will be readily discovered"
Now read the fore going paragraph
over again and study what it means
If possible try to take in the iniquity Of
the scheme and the threatened black
mail in such a letter. The tax COM
missioner tells in the letter that, any
person failing to do any Of the things
therein set forth, or to answer any
question which the assessor may ask
him:
"Shall forefeit not less than twenty
five nor more than one hundred dol
lars, and he shall be denied all rem.
edy provided by law for the correction
of any assessment made by the ASSESS
or. If any person fails to give a true
list Of his property, which should DO
assessed, he shall, in addition, forfeit
twenty per centum Of the value Of the
property not listed and not otherwise
taxed"
Now when you set down to make
out this list you are confronted with the
fact that you must list everything
that has any valae and at Its true and
actual value and you will please re-
member that you will be required to
swear TO this list; that you have listed
everything you own and at its "true
and actual value"
There has been some denial Of the
fact that small thing on the form are
taxable but when the law required
you, Mr.. Farmer, under oath to list all
products Of animals pray how are you
going to avoid listing the meat in your
meat house, the eggs in tho pantry,
your spring lambs and colts? AS we
have stated before you will have to
list every item that has any value,
however small and every note, due
BILL money or deposit and even the
few dollars you may have in your
building association. Commissioner
Dillsn. in the presence Of number Of
gentlemen, when in this city recently
told the assessors that If man had
an extra suit of clothes for Sunday he
must be assessed with it. The law 10
us seems plain and the instruction Of
the Commission shows that it Is the
intention to carry out the law.
Now where will the man with a
conscience stand against the man with
none. What fine school for the cul-
tivation Of perjury.