Putnam patriot., 1910-08-26
Interesting Tax Suggestions.

Tax Commissioner Cor bin not only keeps up with the regular duties of his responsible office, but has added to these the further duty of waking peo. pie up To some sense of what taxation is for and how It should be conducted. In the course of his educational wor he asks on his blanks to have tax off cials make to him suggestions as Co how our tax system might be inn proved.
 There are many answers, and not a few of these are of general interest. For example note the following
 You exempt mechanic or a farmer 800, why not Il poor peddler who pays a license and whom We tax on his old horse and wagon
 Let the laws alone. By the time a board of assessors becomes familiar with the law soaae idioiie statesman thinks he can improve them, and il is generally for the worse. We have law enough and to spare. Elect assessors who are not afraid to do their duty pay them for their services and keep them in office If you can, and then pay some body to shoot board of relief that will upset the assessors work. i The present system of having three men sit as board of relief and undo the work of three other men who have served faithfully as assessors, Is wrong. | The judgment of three assessors, who have carefully examined the property, ought 10 have more weight than the l judgment of three other men who have never examined 1t with view of put. l ting value upon it. IL would be just as reasonable to create another board tu review the work of the board of relief.
 lf the Secretary of State would send to each town the names and data Of all automobiles registered from said towns Il would greatly assist in getting them all on the lists and In placing value on them.
 Would suggest Il be made law for towns mol to TX a tax rate until the assessors have finished assessment Of the tewn.
 There are sufficient laws al present, Ii thoSe on he books were literally en- forced, property altput in at fall value, oar rate would he reduced to five ar six mills, and as much money raised as al present.
 Tax water company's property al one-loafth ef cost al least, not at land value. No farmer is taxed like they are.
 The National banks should inform the assessors ot each town the amount ot money each person has on deposit the first Of 0et0her.
 All church property over and above >a,t-a should he taxed.
 Ali taxpayers should be sentenced for life, and ail assessors hung at sight, and, if this K too strong, iet the as- ses>ed, when appearing before boards es relief take Ii solemn oath that they Will not say q word. and the assessors, If they are ai all ike the assessors oi this town, who have done their full duty as they took their oath to do, re- gsrdless of anything. be furnished with rn't class tickets 10 any foreign land the same day they turn over the lists and abstracts 10 the town clerk, and the towns pay all their expenses until such time as the board of relief has lin- ished hearing what Is generally termed appeals, bat what term, in every in- stance, - lies.
 The collection of poll and military taxes. Is the cause of most of my trou- elr, as 1 may have 10 run two or three miles twice or three times, and when I happen 10 ee lucky enough 10 lind the fellow wilh Ss and can persuade him 10 pay his lax, get cents.
 These testimonials showing much in- consistency in present system of rais- ing taxes, ought to set the taxpeyes to teep pondering.