Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-12-10
Some Tax Facts Worthy Serious Thought.

OF equal value, De assessed nVe times
as high as farm improvements? And
what howl has the farmer coming if
this unfair, unequal and rank dis
criminatory system of taxation be
slightly disturbed in the interest of
justice? There are some mighty in
teresting thirgs about Clearwater
county values that might be brought
out, were the Clearwater Republican
disposed to do so. What right has
any man with $1,000 or S4, 600 i'm
provements to whine because the
assessor will not violate the law in
his favor? Farm improvements in
Clearwater county have not begun to
be assessed on fair and equitable
basis. The county records verify this
statement 1t is the taxpayer whose
improvements happen to be in Oroiino,
perhaps Elk River and other places,
who has a howl coming, if anyone has.
The law never contemplated any
favoritism. Because one citizen in
vests in agricultural la ID and another
in town property or even a timber
claim does not warrant the favoring
or under valuation of the one and
over-val luation of the other. For
there is no wrong SO grinding, no
course SO crushing as confiscation of
property under the guise of taxation.
We can appreciate this when we bring
it home and place ourselves in the
shoes of the injured taxpayer.
To carry the illustration a little
further for the sake Of clearness, let
the reader stop and think how unequal
taxation, say between the Orofino
Trading Company and the White Pine
Trading Company, could work ilrepar-
able harm 1t is the same thing,
when applied, as discriminatory rail
road rates that for years made it pos
sible for the Standard Oil and other
trusts to crush and ruin competition.
The Republican is urging nothing
but square deal. No class of prop
erty has a right to be favored, for
equality before the law wrongs no
man. We are opposed to injustice in
any form.
And in this connection may we not
appeal for a square deal for some
three or four hundred individual own
ers of timber; for that class who,
have up to this year, suffered most
grevious wrong at the hands of Clear
water county. In this class is F. M.
Green of Troy. Idaho, a democrat, and
ex-county commissioner of Latah
county; DIR. Keller of Lewiston, also
a democrat. and formerly coroner OF
Latah county; Ike Hunsperger of Orc
hno, and scores of others who are sc
unfortunate AS to own few acres OF
timber land in Clearwater county.
To be plain. up to this year these
taxpayers have been robbed, and ever
the cruise, which in a measure pro
tects them, does not give full justice.
Mr.. Hunsperger paid about $40 last
year on eighty acres, and this yeal
pays $50. If you charge one-third
or, to be accurate, S-25 of his tax tt
democratic debt, which. is eight mill:
for old debt, his taxes, chargeable t.
the republicans, amount to $54. 40, o.
$3.50 less than in 1914, under tn,
democrats, or P. H. Blake's assess
ment.
And Mr.. Hunsperger could hardl.
sell his claim for fifty cents pc
thousand, while he is asse ssed on
basis of 81. so for white pine, and tn
Republican officials are termed tim
Der tools because Hunsperger
Green, and several hundred other
are not stuck for more.
May we ask by what theory of tax
alton these advocates of contiscatio
arrive at their conclusions?
1t is charged that Hunsperger, fo
example, is assessed on higher rat
than timber companies. This is un
true. Hunsperger is assessed On tn
cruise, with the lowest rate going
,ni the Clearwater Republican vii
go on record as saying that his take
are out of all proportion to that pal
by any farmer in Clearwater county
and any fair-minded citizen will ad
nit it. We take MIR. Hunsperge
as fair illustration of more tina
three hundred who have suffered whs
amounts almost to confiscation c
property.
Following is list of similar cases
of people who have been so unfortur
ate as to in any manner acquire fe
acres of timber land in Clearwate
county. Here are the valuations fl
1914 and 1915:
Owner. Acres 1914 10
Robert Heinman, l6O $240O So,
Fred Olson. 80 1900 4
w. A. Adair, l60 2400 8
James Smith, 100 1900 8
l. Lowengast, l6O 24OO
f. M. Green, 100 1900 4