The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1914-10-08

interfered with by this tax com
mission. and those who were in
danger of being interfered with,
have hOwled their heads of. in de-
nOuncing the tax commission and
it's work: in RichlaDd county they
have thrown every Obstruntion
possible. to hinder the work Of
the tax commission, and did all in
their power to influence the local
assessors in not listing this class
OF property as recommended by
the tax commission, and then urge
the action of the local assessor as
a reason to Justify the action of
the county commissioners in re-
ducing this class of property 100
per cent ON the assessment. roll.
Mr.. Robinson in his weak de-
tense says that this action was
taken by the county board to avoid
extensive litigation: probably Mr..
Robinson feels that this expensive
litigation would have fallen on
himself and his business partners
and not on the county and that
is why he tried to avoid it. There
would be no expensive litigation
unless some party who felt ag-
grieved like Mr.. Robinson should
start it. Mr.. Robinson is able to
look out for himself.
Mr.. Robinson is not only able
to look out for himself, but he has
the ability to get the other com
missioners to render him assist
ance.
The tax cmmission in sending
out the lists of leased property,
made suggestions as to the value
of said property. but these sug-
gestions were not binding on any
one. consequently when the local
assessor fixed the value of Robin
sons property at $1,000. this
would have been the value on
which he would have been re-
duired to pay tax; Now Mr.. Baker
who has been employed at the ex-
pense of the county to reassess
this same property fixes the value
at $4,000. There seems to be quite
a variance in Judgment as to the
value of this Robinson lease: the
tax commission suggested a value
OF S5,40O: the local assessor fix
ed a value of 81 900 and now Mr..
Baker says the taxable valro is
$4,000.
Now then if Mr.. Robinson felt
aggrieved as to the assessment of
his property, why did he not ap-
pear before the city board of equ-
alization. Just as any other citizen
would be required to do? Is there
any reason why he should be
treated better. why the other per-
sons who are in control of leased
property should be treated any
better than the ordinary citizen?
Mr.. Robinson seems to be making
use of public office, to further
his private business interests.
1t was suggested to the writer
by a citizen of the city of Wahpe-
ton that no one wanted to criti-
else the Board of County Com
missioners. or any of the men,
bers thereof. for the reason that
the people felt very grateful 70
the present Board on account Of
their building the new courthouse.
Why they used the money of the
taxpayers in doing this work, and
none OF it was paid on the Robin
son lease. 1t was not on the tax
roll. The men who should be
thanked for the new courthouse
are the men back in 1908. who
laid the foundation by providing
a sinking fund for that purpose.
Now as to Robinson's assertion
that the tax commission in taxing
leases is carrying out an old and
obsolete law that has been on the
statute books for nearly thirty
years: now this is fair sample Of
his knowledge of things or his
fairness in stating what he claims
to be facts. The constitution was
adopted in 1889. Is years ago, and
the latter part of section 179, Ar
tlcle . of Amendments to the Con-
stitution Of the State Of North
Dakota. which is the Supreme Law
OF the state. and which neither
the legislature nor the courts. not
even the Supreme Court of the
state dare to ignore, reads as fol-
lows: But should any railroad
allow any portion of it's roadway
to be used for any purpose other
IMAM the operation of railroad
thereon. such portion of it's road
way, while so used. shall be as-i
sessed in the manner provided for
the assessment of other real prO-
perty."
Yet the Board of County Com
mis- sioners of Richland County. in
the State of North Dakota. assum-
ing more power than the Legisla-
ture or the Courts of the state