The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-10-21

being made secretly to deceive
farmers and home owners about the
valuation fixed on real estate this
year by land appraisers.
1t should be remembered that the
appraisement made this year Is for
period of four years instead of 10
as heretofore. If the law for quadren.
nial appraiserhents hereafter had not
been passed, the appraisement would
hae been made this year just the
same, under the old law, for period
of 10 wears. Therefore the change
went into effect at the regular time
for appraising real estate.
AT the same time, all the taxing
authorities in the state without re-
gard to politics agreed upon the plan
to comply strictly with the constitu-
tional rule requiring that property
should be appraised for taxation at
It's true value in money True value
is understood to be full value. The
purpose in appraising at full value is
well understood to be the only plan
for correcting the many abuses of
the present taxation system that has
gradually shifted most of the burdens
Of taxation upon owners of real es-
tate by lowering the values and rails.
ing the rates
The new law requires that lists
showing the values placed upon real
estate this year shall be furnished to
each property owner so that he may
see whether his neighbor's property
is valued justly, thereby insut1ng an
equitable appraisement to all owners
of real estate. These lists are just
being furnished and, of course, they
show that the values fixed this year
are higher than the old values.
The tricksterE who are trying to
deceive farmers and home owners on
the new values are going about Sc
cretly and saying to them that they
will be compelled to pay more taxes
hereafter on account Of the increased
values. They purposely refrain from
saying that property owners are in
sured against such eXtortion by
limit put upon the tax rate. 1t Is
the purpose of the tdcksters to de-
ceiye by telling only half the truth,
which Is the meanest and most
despisable kind of falsehood.
\Of course tax values on land have
been raised. Every owner of real es-
tate with grain of common sense
not only knows 1t, but is GLAD OF
1T. 1t means that he will pay less
taxes when the whole plan Is COM
pleted. Suppose the value Is double.
Any man who knows that two and
two make four, knows what 1t will
mean to multiply his old tax values
by two and divide the tax rate b.,
three-less taxes to pay.
Taxes will not be paid on the new
same time increased tax valuations
on corporations being made and yet
to be made, and an increase in the
excise taxes OF corporations, will go
| into effect Next year personal prop
erty Will also be appraised at full
value, according to the constitutional
rule. Thus all increased values will
go into effect at, the same time and
the result will be a more even dis
tributlon of taxes to be paid under a
| reduced tax rate. That ought to be
as plain as day to any man who pays
taxes on any kind OF property.
But the political trlcksterS who
want to win campaign by any kim
of trlckery no matter what, are Will
Ing to lie about and misrepresent
Governor Harmon in any way. Tho
half.and-half truth and dec Nticn
about the new tax values Is cue OF
the ways.
Governor Harmon is recognized
throughout the United States an
able student In the science o. gov
ernment. He knows the limits ~ The
constitution and tine laws. lie hrow5
what can be done and what can not
be done.
Governor Harmon did not originate
taxation reform. He h&s never pre-
tended tina he did. Taxation reform
has been a burning question in the
state of Ohio for so years, Proposed
/ amendments to the constitution, one
after another, have failed. One state
administration after another has TAX
Ell up the subject and tried in vain
20 accomplish something, Governor
Mckinley appointed tax commits
sion. 1t investigated the subject ana
reported. Matters drlfted along and
more proposed constitutional amend
ments failed. Governor Harris ap
pointed special tax commission. 1t
Investigated and reported.
Governor Harmon knew about the
work of that last commission. son
in-law OF his was member of It.
Atlee Pomerene, Democratic candi
date for lieutenant governor, was an
other member of 1t.
When Governor Harmon came
into office, instead of doing nothing
he said lets go ahead and do some
thing" In his inaugural address he
said the state administration and leg
islature ought to be ashamed to look
the people In the face II the oppor
tunity went by without taking ad
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