The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-28
JUST AS PLAIN AS DAY

JUST AS PLAIN AS DAY
Here is a letter written to the editor
of the Ohio State Journal, Republican
and printed in that paper on August
goth. 1t is not only self-explanatory
but the writer makes his point as
plain as day:
"Dditor Ohio State Journal:
Speaking of Governor Cox, R. H
Griffith, Thornville, says in the State
Journal of Aug. 10: Neither the
farmer nor the business man Is able
to see any special benefit TO be deriv'
ed from any of his political schemes
| Mr.. Voter. do not be led to believe
that your taxes in 1915 will be any
less than you paid in 1914"
read the above extracts while
visiting relatives in this city and they
struck me as untrue, in view Of my
circumstances, own farm in Hope
well Township, Mercer county,
which was on the duplicate in 1913 for
$4,000. The rate then was $3.50 per
$1,000. My 1918 tax bill was $75. The
rate for Hopewell Township, Mercer
county, has been fixed at $3.50 per
$1,000. My 1914 tax bill will amount
to $48. VIII some one explain to me
how my taxes have been increased
for 1914?
Just a parting word about this
Warnes law. The tax dodgers will pay
more. The fellows who have been
paying full property valuations are
going to pay less. l am one of the
hundreds of thousands of property
owners who had been assessed at full
value in the past. Hurrah for
Jimmy" Cox! He has reduced the
honest mans taxes and increased
those of the dishonest.
Mercer Co. Republican Farmer
Celina, o., Aug. 49,"
Then here is what the State Journal
says editorially under the head of
Better Appraisement Methods" in the
same issue:
"In our correspondence column this
morning there is letter from a Mer-
Ger County farmer who says that the
operation of the Warnes law has re
duced the taxes on his $4,000 farm
from SIS to $4S year. This man
paid taxes on an honest assessment ol
his property before and he will pay
them henceforth. The increase in
the duplicate, which means a saving
of $27 a year to him, comes, 1t is
reasonable to suppose, from the ad
dition of property hitherto concealed
from the assessor.
Doubtless, there are cases where
honest mems property is appraised un
Justly high 1t would be strange /
this were not true, when so determin
ed an effort has been made to get al
taxable property on the duplicate a
It's true value In money. Here ant
there an assessor is bound to be over
jealous. But persons so treated hav,
ample recourse. If they can show tina
their property is not worth what it i
listed for, they can make complain
and have the excess valuation remoy
ed.
. But in tho vast majority of case
the more thorough methods of ap
praisement assured by the new Law
work to the advantage OF the man Il
moderate circumstances, who own
his home or his farm and whose proI
erty has been assessed heretofore a
something like its real value, This |
not the kind of man who has taXabl
securities locked up in his box at tn
bank and who forgets about ther
when the assessor calls. This latte
man is the one who has done mos
not all, but most of the lodging In tn
. past and who now Is being brough
TO book. Catching men like him |
what Is making such additions to tn
duplicate everywhere and what, II tn
local taxing boards now do their duty
will tighten the average mans burde
OF taxation"