Semi-weekly herald., 1913-09-25
TWO SIDES OF A PICTURE

One cannot fail to be interested IN
the DIR. Jekyl and Mr.. Hrde view Of
conditions in Denver. which is indi-
Gated TO the tax collector on one
hand and the real estate boomer on
the other.
There has been good deal Of con-
troversy in the last few weeks be
tween the state tax commission and
the city assessor of Denver. The tax
| commission contends that Denver is
valued too low and the city assessor
contends that Denver's valuation is
plenty high enough.
OF course. all business men and
property owners Of Denver agree
with the city assessor. Yesterday,
one Of the prominent real estate own
ers Of that city, in emphasizing the
| necessity for low valuations, said in
substance this. Everyone is aware
Of the fact that values on all prop
erty. especially in the downtown
district, have measurably decreased
in the last two years and therefore
| the assessments should be reduced
Very well, perhaps that is so. But
let US turn to the DIR. Jekyl side of
| the picture as noted in the Denver
Republican this morning:
| According to the figures of the
Gas & Electric company, an average
Of 225 families a month have moved
into Denver since the first of the
year. The agents Of the company re
port a decreasing number Of empty
| houses. Real estate men back the re-
port Of the growth of the city with
out qualification. The demand for
houses is increasing. Sales are on
| the upgrade in number. Transfer
| companies have the same story to
tell. Their business mas grown, and
the traffic in carrying household
goods IS an incoming and NOT an out
going one This is very encourag-
ing.
Thus we are glad to fird from the
Republican that the downcast real
estate owner above quoted was mis-
taken-thst everything IS lovely and
getting better al the time, and that
L Is q mistake to say property val
ues are decreasing
But. after all. il makes a differ
ence 10 whom We are talking. wheth-
er II be the tax gatherer or the pros
I pective purchaser Of property. In
/ Colorado Springs the only interest
We have is to see that proper values
are assessed in Denver and Pueblo
and elsewhere in order that this com
munity may not be obliged to pay
more than It's iust proportion of state
taxes.-Colorado Springs Telegraph,
| From the above il Is evident the in
| equality Of assessments in Denver
and q few other counties will not
| down The entire trouble is in the
| desire Of some county officials who
are figuring OF political advancement
to keep down assessment values in
order 70 escape paying their just
| proportion Of taAcs irto the state
treasury TIE case Of Denver coun-
| ty Is ve1r bad. although the blame
lis probably entirely due to Assessor
Pitcher who is governed by political
ambition.
And, getting back to facts, this tax
tangle is nine-tenths due 10 Cover
nor Shafroth's political machine
which sduandered balance Of over
a quarter of a million dollars left
by the Buchtel administration and
plunged the state into endless debt,
all to aid the election of the governor
to the United States senate. Colo
roda tax payers are paving dear for
Honest Johns" administration and
the last viii not be heard for many
years to come, although next fall the
voters will have an opportunity of
| righting the wrong to a certain ex-
| tent.