Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-05-26

Il IL rather a singular oversight that
he elements of state citizenship most
active In trying to transplant the
Swiss legislative system, now that the
Initiative is under trial, are not alive
70 the advantage and opportunity OF
restricting the general property tax
4 This ID an essential reform If the
state is to keep pace with modern
economic developments and approx
mate justice in its methods Of taxa
ton. It was proposed to the voters In
1SoS, n the guise Of a constitutional
amendment not properly discussed OF
understood. and defeated. At the two
! succeeding sessions Of the legisla.
ture sinister influences have made i,
impossible to get before the voters
I second time a modified form Of the
irst proposal.
The general property tax is inflex
ible, and fast becoming obsolete fol-
purposes of state revenue. 1t has its
place in supplying the needs of gov
eminent, but should not be extend
Cd beyond county administration.
Needed Legislative Freedom Deniee
BY Constitution
What is needed in Washington Is
gpater legislative freedom, at pres
= u denied by the constitution, to en-
III lews that will reach a large pro
lD@tion Of the states wealth now en-
Ijcying immunity from taxation. There
n good reason to believe the intang
Die personal property, which coult
b induced to contribute to the costs
M government by the imposition of {
reasonable specific tax, exceeds the
ptal value Of all property at present
sted bn the rolls.
r The rigid requirement Of the consti
tuition that there shall be q uniform
and equal rate Of taxation Of all prop
>Stty in the state, according to its
value in money" negatives the advo
cacy Of any revenue proposal based or
. rate specific and lower than may
be applied in the case of the genera
property assessment; and intangible
personal property gives no hope o.
response to any other legislative treat
ment. One Of the chief reasons ad
vanced for the abatement Of the ia,
on moneys and credits in 1907 was
that they could not be locntod for &c
Sessment.
A proper constitutional amendment
would lead to the enforcement Of the
state and the counties as tax collect
ing partners, a condition greatly te
be desired, since the Irregularities o.
the dual system Of equalization seen
to be beyond human control. Assess
ments in the counties Of the state have
varied or ranged from 10 to 10(
per cent on the same forms of prop
erty in different localities. AS betweer
different counties, the values adjusted
for tax purposes will be different, ac
cording to the characteristics OF thu
men making assessments.
Personal Property Small Part Of As
sessed Valuation.
It is estimated that Of the bulk o.
state property 60 per cent is personal
As a matter of fact, in the total as
sessed valuation of 1918, excepting the
public service corporations. persona
property represents little more thar
IA per cent, and of the estimated
actual value of all property assessed
that year, including public service cor
porations, 1t was only per cent.
For 10 years, between 1892 and 1905
the total personal property Of the
state was Of less value than in 1891
IN varying percentages from rs pei
gent to 56S3. From 1905 to 1912 in
elusive, the increase Of personal prop
erty valuation above the assessment
OF 1891 was from 1857 per cent in 1905
to 12s.is in 1912.
Here Is curious illustration OF the
sp and downs Of general property
assessments. In 1890 the persona
property valuation Of the state was
tsb.S2b,2s5; in 1891 1t was $52,148,599
m 1896. $22.5123aS, and in 1900 $Sb,
3ll,ss5.
Personal property per capita assess
ment In 1890 was $96.o5 and in 1917
mad increased only to $1oo.40. The
per capita realty assessment in 1896
- @bs1.15, in 1900 s45S.56, and II
zlus. ssos.ss.
Since the tax commission begaI
GUINNESS the burden has been SHIFTED
somewhat from the farmers, and &C
coruins to the commission reports
NO greatest increase In the assessed