The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-05-09
Ideal Assessment Policy.
News and Observer. J


There is no exercise Of power so i'm
portant and w~ide-reaching in its benefits
or embarrassing in its mistakes as the
quadrennial assessments Of property for
taxation. Particularly important in
North Carolina this year is the fact that
railroad and certain cooperation values
are to be fixed by the tax commission.
On the income from taxation from these
sources largely depends the degree of
progress which the state shall make in
the next four years. A just share in the
burdens Of the state taxation with the
individual IN the part OF railroads and
corporations will serve to put in the
state treasury tangible dividends upon
the expansion of the States business. :
Even more important 10 the necessity
that real estate should be fairly and adO.
quately assessed. Every county and
community has in this question it's most
vital interests at stake. The duty il
q complex one, calling for . high order
Of intelli pence and no mean degree of
courage. List takers should bO chosen
I for their fitness. And no public Office
has been more the subject Of such bar
ter than that Of list taker. After the
usual chorus OF abuse shall have Subsid-
cd, it will be profitable to enquire
whether the conditions which called it
forth have not been tacitly invited by
the people who make complaint. New
or the less, although adequate assess
ment is q duty, it il true that nothing is
so delicate Of adjustment as real estate
values. A hundred questions of loca-
ton earning capacity and reasonable
contingency enter into is equitable ex.
ercise. OVer-zeal may we'll be a. danger
Gus Is ultra conservatism. He Is \ wise
man who an steer the middle course of
justice without error.
In Winston-Salem, which has fre-
quOntly Afforded valuable object lessons
to the state, the matter of the forthcom-
ing assessment is already being mootsd
and discussed. Says the Winston Salem
Sentinel.
1.-THE tax assessors are already begin
ming 70 discuss the question of increas-
ing present valuations on real estate
and personal property. The matter was
informally referred to by SOME of the
assessors who were here yesterday.
Several agreed not to increase present
valuations on average farm lands. One
assessor said: 81 am heartily in favor
of reducing present rakaa and than
assessing all property al its true val
uat1on. This would prove advantageous,
| am sure, to real and personal properly"
The plan suggested is, Of course, the
ideal OF conditions of taxation, and
should embody the aims of the taxing
power everywhere. The lower the rate
the less is the burden. II property is
properly assessed at its true value. and
the rate is lowered, the result tends to-
wards that equalization of taxation be-
tween I'll class in proportion to property
holdings which is so desirable. AS it
has been, there have been many COM
promises with right principles on &C
count OF hard conditions. AS a result
large properties have not been assessed
at a sufficient figure and small ones
have been assessed too hik h. What is
needed is a stable basis of va'ues, and
then a rate as low as economy with pro-
gress In public development Will admit.
Lace Curtains given away at Shep-