Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-05-12
THURSDAY. MAY. p. 1910.
TWO WRONGS MAKE plight?

The Gazette last week commenced +
on the fact that one Williamsburg
property owner did not object 10
having the assessment on his real
estate increased. and the esteemed .
I Hampton Monitor said:
We are disposed TO rejoice with
our friend who doth rejoice but
when the thought comes 10 mind
R that a large percentage OF this In
crease goes 70 the State and directly
u 10 Dav the criminal or school exper- F.
# ses Of some Southwest or Piedmont
county whose good land IS assessed .
a. anywhere from p cents TO a dol F
bar per acre. we are about hallway .
SONY 70 hear Of this increase.
T.Geuater Is bearing away and be
vc.- rr- lust portion or the State S
.-.r-irr expenses. and We smart un .
der t-- untairness and injustice OF
the whole thing. That IS why
4 Ti5ev a CT s4o uld arise and demand
tax e1.s cation. Our sandy bot
|t7-s are assessed al more than the
.ro'.,rs pastures OF the Southwest
which are beginning 70 wave with
re. clover and timothy. Let Us
e-.-r--ate laxes as the constitution
! wisely .ef- the way open II 1913 10
&c ana let every county assess lands
and personal property as It's needs
1 demand and cult taking SSo.UOO
from Elizabeth City 10 pay the oe-
.linouencies OF Dickinson OF some
i other county.
We are sorry that others OF the
press o. Virginia have taken the
same position UPON this question as
: has The Monitor. Il is simply a
confession that a wrong has and Is
being done. each community iusU-
wing itself in doing wrong because
some other community has been
guilty Of wrong doing How much
better il would b, If toe press Of the
state would labor 10 create a strong
public sentiment against q city Of
county that tres TO evade taxation
by low assessments. The Jaw j
N very plain on the subject OF assess
ments. Il says the assessor shal
place fair market value uPo
lands and buildings. The assesso
that falls 10 co this is violating hi
oath. But We kaow that al owe
& the STATE the excuse for violstiO
y OF the law IS that some other Gistar
section is violating the law.
sounds bad. It is bad. and the officer
y that countenance il are aiding an
& ab=tting 2 wroug.
Z We 90 not believe that EditC
( I Houston IS really half way sorT
L 10 hear OF an increase" certainl
K not when ne thinks of the real sta
< OF affairs. Of course. ne is sorr
Z Dickinson and other rich countie
Z not necessarily in the Sou,hwes
& are parties to a FRAUD. for il is not
& ing less than a fIsud to assess pro
= erty at the prices mentioned by II
Monitor. II some cases the indie
tons are that inequality Of asses
ment. rather than ar attempt 10 vi
. late the ls~. is the real trouble.
The editor OF The Monitor was
member Of the last General Asse
I'll bly,. We confess We did not hi
aJ that Re wsged a fight for a st
- board Of equalization. Out judge q
IT. atleast he favors such board nc
But there IS no such board in ec
OQi ence. and the press ought 10 use
influence 20 get q just and fair
sessment. Il will not 90 to pu
low rate upon our property beos
some other section does. uu
two wrongs make right"
~ The Gazette also takes issue '
nter The Monitoi when il SAYS our 1
dy bottoms are assessed at n
than the rolling pastures Of
Southwest" The inference hel
ssvs that our sandy bottoms" are