The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-09-13

state board Of equalization met and
Increased the assessed valuation. The
large figures were published over the
state and there was great Joy in the
hearts Of the common people. The
presumption was that the railroad
property had been boosted away out
OF sight and that farm property was
left about as 1t had been. This sup
position would have continued to sat
isfy II somebody had not gone to in
vestigating the situation and that is
what brought grief to the common
people. The increase that was made
on the railroad property in the state
amounted to $21,664,700, and a por-
ton of this amount is for newly built
lines. The increase in the assess
ment in farm lands amounts to $780,
b73,622. Any farmer can take a
pencil and figure out the difference
between the increased assessment on
his property and that on the rail-
roads.
A Bath correspondent to the Aber-
deem News puts the situation very
cleverly when he shows the actual
condition of the assessment of prop
erty in that township of Brown coun-
ty, in which he shows just how the
new arrangement affects the common
people up that way. And what is
applicable in one county can be ap-
piled to practically all counties. The
correspondent contributed the fol-
lowing to the News:
'The state board of equalization
and assessment has inishedsits labors
and the taxpayers will soon be able
to find out how much better off they
are under the reform admtnistEa-
ton than they were under what re-
formers are pleased to- call the cor
rupt corporation administration. The
equalization figures for Bath town
ship r now accessible, except those
on personal property, and these are
practically the same as last year as
only a few changes were made.
sIn the spring when the county
auditors met at Pierre the state
board ordered lands in this county
raised "a per cent. This raised the
valuation of land in Bath township
from $1S5,S95, as euqualized last year,
to $2A9, 900, ronnd nulabers, an IN
creasasnf$62..6o0. The railroads IN
theatatfblsHltn1lssRlibp were raised from Sci;
O92#to $67,3O6, ian increase Of &c.
}. PA, g, .lLesssgssahananne-tenth the raise
made On tie hands in the township.
Let's see, hasn't a good deal been
said about the Observation-Disclosures
ton being such great friends OF the
plain people and tie enemy Of the
corporations? This looks like it.
raise the assessment on The farms OF
the township ten ti1hes4asss much as, op
the railroads., - RI II ,.
Last yearsthe railroads paid over
20 per cent Of the taxes assessed
against this township; this year they
pay Just about 18Aper cent. While
their valuation was increased, the
valuation OF farms was increased sc
much more that it practically
amounts to a decrease for the rail
roads. Besides making al enormou.
Increase In the valuation of property
In the state, most of it on lands, the
reform" board Of equalization ant
Assessmert. made a levy more thar
twice as large as the last n made
by the corrupt corporation admin
tstration' for last year, jumping Il
from 2 mills to 4 10.
Reform comes high and tn.
farmers pay most of the bills. Wha'
q pity that the banker board of as
sessment and equalization did no
increase its own assessment as mucl
rs 1t did that of the farmer, ant
with more banks to assess this year
too.
IF this correspondent remember
correctly, when the Corporation hire
lings' raised the valuation of tn,
railroads they did not more than of
set 1t by a larger increase on lands
but made an honest raise and mad
the railroads pay a larger percent
age of the taxes than they had beel
paying.
Just to show how the double in
crease-in valuation and levy
catches the taxpayer: Last year tn
state taxes assessed against thi
township amounted to $500. Thi
year to $3.50, more than two an,
one-half times as much as last year
Had the corrupt corporation ai..n
istration forseen that using cheape
and more easily worked stone TO
the capitol than the Sioux Fall
@oe,o~ u,o,,1l of1,o NC a h{oh prico,