The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-04-05

n Mosr ~ ihe etates have taxation
MI prvhlems. A majority d th'
At4 people u a majority 81 tn
smfra become asisased over these
pfohlrms uhoot Inc time the leslslal
lures are in session. When the lcsls-
ialdfs have ~ssraseIed in the usual m-
tile way M the problems have been
alleeiated q little, Or made a little
worse. ~ the casc may be. public
Interest dies. or al least falls asleep
and We iet our tax problems lie and
tester until the next Legislative
round. Il Il the easiest way. TN
less a great crisis arises the people
generally seek the ensiest way in
public matters: and 90 90 their OFF,
claisb taxing ana other varieties.
Thus Ia Missouri where The iesiala-
sas4 has just finished a sesuion. We
ana the Kansas City sta complain
Ing that
N d easier to cut Gown APP
preparations for state institutions
than Il Il 20 build np a revenue
system sufficient Tor the states
real needs.r
Almost anything IL easier than
huilaine up o wise. COMPREHENSIVE
wen thought out revenue system THAI
win meet the conditions and needs
Of d state. During ,he recent iesis-
iniise session az Santa Re We saw
what appeared to many to b a SPLEEN
did taxation and revenue system
turned down chiefly. we believe.
through Ignorance and a d~isincllna-
tion for The hard work necessary to
End out the facts.
The frsi result OF our adoption Of
. weak and inefficient taxlns system
IL seen IN the tendency OF the new
state tax commission to follow what
seems the easiest course for Il; the
pillng up Of more valuation and a.
heavy added burden on the readily
accessible properly Of the state,
while permitting that not 20 readily
accessible 10 eleape either an taxa
tian or a just proportion Of Il.
~ iis order returnable April 20.
raising ihe taxes OF the railroads. the
state tax commission would increase
The terminal valuations Of the SAINTS
- railroad about 40 per cent. That's
an easy system for getting the money
III the railroad viii stand for IL.
The terminals are here. IN Albuqucr-
que. for instance. They are plainly
in sight and cannot he removed or
concealed.
But Il must be plain to all that IL
the state tax commission raises the
shop and terminal valuation basis
here BY 40 per cent. IL must make a
sisailar and proportlonate raise IN an
other real property ~ IL Is going 10
escape a charge Of local dlscrlmina-
siea. Nov this city and It's small
property owners cannot stand any IN
creased tax burden. They will not
stand 4. They viii refuse any longer
20 be- l.sade the goat. The property
which has been escaping taxation
nus be made TO pay. We cannot
80 on piiinE up the taxes on the rail-.
roads and on the owners Of the little
homes u the towns and cities. slmply
beoause the railroads ihus far have
not protested; OF because the little
householder hasn't power enough TO
make his kick effective.
The states which have come near
est 70 wise and equitable solution Of
the ias problem are those states in
which an aroused public sentiment
has forced d deep aud thorough study
o. the problems az hand: q public
sentiment which has sept tax mat
tefs 20 the fore not only during leg
ialHtive sessions. but az an times.
The people may be- depended upon
for $40 vital demands in taxation.
when they know the facts. They viii
not stand for she raising of more
money By ~taxation than h. necessary
and they wni not permit injustice
a inequality to exist II they can
help g.
y seems 20 the Herald that tho
auesestion which a been made and
is nov helms strongly urged by hard
headed bpFlnsas men throughout The
state that . Taxpayers league be or
ganlzed. not for political purposes
not 10 a%niaeonize any authority or
a Interest," but b get AZ the facts
ana 70 work for a solution Is a sound
suggestion n n which We will.
have 20 follow sooner or later. before
ne main problem in this state can be
eolved.