Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-12
The U1h0lu 7riune and Their Ounce

The Unholy Triune and Their Ounce
Through their mouthpiece and general publicity
agent the Devils Lake Journal, the state tax commits
sioners are certainly making strenuous efforts to
justify their existence and establish standing
full members of the state administration Of North
Dakota Now they come, through the columns Of
the paper mentioned with labored resume and
alleged analysis of the work accomplished by the
1913 state board of equalization and cheerfully
the credit that is due for the good work accomplished
by the board, and endeavor to show by suppression
OF essential facts and dishonest Juggling of figures
that they, and they alone, responsible for the
successful results secured by body in which neither
the tax commission nor any individual member
thereof, had seat, voice advisory expression
"A few specific examples will clinch the force Of
the above statement and let the people know in what
manner an attempt is being made to hoodwink them
and incidentally glorify three whose main asset
Is subterfuge. and whose every action indicates
utter inability to apply the first principle of common
justice in carrying out the work with which they
have been entrusted
In the tables given by the tax commission, show.
ing the increase in dollars and cents for each class
of property and the increased percentage of each,
the statement is made that real property equalz
ed at an increase of $6,05S,054, three per cent
increase ignoring the fact that there nearly
one million more assessed this year than in
1912, which practically accounts for the gain made.
The last legislature passed act entitled, Prop
erty Exempt From Taxation In the list of exemp-
tions will be found this clause: Personal Property
Of each individual subject taxation to the amount
Of fifty dollars" At the time the state board made
the equalization of property these deductions were
not made, but left to be made subsequently, by
the county officials When this is done the total of
personal property will be no greater than in 1912.
Therefore the Mandatory tax commission will not
feel justified in contending that this showing is
largely due their Efforts
In keeping with its customary bombastic methods,
in referring to this imaginary increase in personal
property the commission asserts that this does
not include the ten million dollars escaped property
which the commission will put the tax rolls during
the current year.. In order to expose this futile at
tempt the part of the commission to .laud itself
and Impress upon the public mind what wonderful
things it has accomplished it is only necessary
take two excerpts from the records Of the state
board of equalization. Mr. D. B. Zimmerman Of Som,
erset, Iowa. the party referred to- had been assessed
for 5000 CATTLE 25 horses and 1900 sheep, to the
amount of 100000. Tie record in the matter reads
rs follows:
"Mr Zimmerman informed the board that
he owned no property in North Dakota. All
Dakota and there assessed The assess. nent
]. was placed against his property without inves-
tigation proper information to enable the
placing of any such assessment intelgenty,
and he had never been notified by any taxing
body in North Dakota of such assessment He
asked that the assessment be Cancelled"
Mr.. Stiles, of the firm of Carignan & Stiles, also
appeared before the board and stated that his firm
had been assessed for s2s,5Oo. The record shows as
follows:
MIR Stiles informed the board no one had
ever interviewed him with reference to what
property he owned on the reservation, nor OF
its value, and he had been notified of
the assessment He stated the assessment
was not correct and asked that it be reduced to
an equitable amount and assessed on the same
basis as other property in North Dakota
The foregoing disclose some Of the proceedings
Of the tax commission and the methods used in
Increasing the parsonal property assessment and
upon which 1t bases its declaration that it "feels
justified IN contending that this showing is largely
due to their efforts. =