The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-04-21
Declines TO Accept Prop
Osilion Of Merchants.
Merely Promises to Give
Everybody a Square Deal.

County Assessor Thomas 4 Par.
ish. at conference between the
Assessor aud committee of mer.
chants at the Chamber Of Com.
meroe this morning, declined the
proposition made to hlm hY the
merchants of the city that he AZ.
aeaa their stocks on the basis 1T a
30 per cent reduction uf che lnyen
tory values furnished By them
The merchants claim that theS
have been uniustiy taxed In tho
past tn comparison with other lines
~ business aud the committee az
a previous conference win the as.
SCISSOR made the proposition Of a..
sessing them on the basis Of their
stock inventories less 90 por ceut.
Assessor Parish this morning ca.
rlalnsd that be could not accept
any such plan an that proposed 90
Cusnf all stocks. as conditions
which fk correct valuations differ
With different cases lie prumi acd
them a square deal Ia ease they
made u possible hY giving him thu
Information necessary en- which "a
base a falr valuation. lie said in
part
Difficulties 81 Assessor
My aRpefirncu ia the 1907 a..
Hssamenl ot personal property has
fully convinced me that Whiir ord
iuary Visible property. such IS that
Of the small tra1csmaa. the farmer
and the home owner. can b. read
Us assessed at It's fair Yaiue By
mere inspection. lhr values Of thc
laFrer mercantile stocks and manu-
featuring plants cannot be oven
fairly Appropriated unless the az
SCISSOR e given special information
relative thereto Ia the unc ~ IN
trial balances aud other
evidence wholly
within the possession II the a.
ssss.sd Such information Is &C
corded 20 banks and Insurance com.
panira In al leading transactions
.uyulxius the value of the property
affected. ard no avenue ~ iufof
nation open 10 others should D.
closed - the assessor. whoss sole
object Il To acquire Information
necessary To ruahi. him to De exact
Justice not uuis "a The party 80
asnasd but Ia all other taxpayers
In response 10 the suggestion
that ia the event - inventories b.
iuE exhibited 10 ths assessor. and
other full disclosure made. aa con.
iemulated b the revennr laws, that
! horizontal teanetiua uf A fixed
percentage b. made upun such IN
yenfaried values. ! beg 20 Hax after
4 careful consideration 81 tie cub.
Jeet. that ! DO NOS think that said
plaa would OF could result ia n
fAir Just add sauisahle assess.
neut.
Zach on lts Own Meflia
4 bellsgv that fair allowances
sbouid b. made ia all cases. but
hat each Individual mercantile
stock should Be considered na its
awn merits. and In arriving at is
assasaahie value a. compared with
lie inxenturied valuation. the a..
SCISSOR should take into eonaidefa.
ton the nature and condition ~
tho business. the location and
character Of The stock. it. age. the
nxfenf u and liability 10 depfeeia.
ton. the methods Of Bookkeeping
snd an other matters IN anY Say
BEARING upon IN. actual market
value Of the property. and nom his
knnwiedge acquired from all SCARE
a.. assess said property ~ rs fair
market yAlue irrespective 81 the
percentage ~ reduction from is
own inYeutorisd valuation. or the
relative reduction from inyenioFicd
81 other properiy
If the merchants will impart to
me- the actual know ledge they
lasseoa as % the value 81 their
respective stocks. ! pledge 10 fhom
an absolutely square deal. iBdiyid
aalIg. collectively and relatively. as
compared with all other merchants
and all classes 81 property a.