The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-03-24

assessments of all sections of the
state. - Greenwood Co m m o n :
wealth.
Presumably in drawing the bill,
Mr.. Kyle, who is an able, expert
enced and conservative legislator,
avoided the constitutional objec-
tions the Madison law encounter
ed. W. might assume, also. that
the law would not be operated
prejudicially to any section. Be-
hind these contingent objections,
however, is that contained in the
last sentence of The Common
wealth's article-the improbable
ty, the impossibility we would say,
of any three men that could be
appointed on the Board, to fairly
Cor satisfactorily equalize the
land values of all the sections of
the state" with their varying soil
characteristics and values. Of
course, we do not compare tine
equalization operations of the
Kyle bill with that which afflicted
the state under the Ames Board of
1874. But the memory of that
iniquity-which was a main force
in precipitating the revolution of
1875-vitalizes suspicion of equali-
cation creations.
A close=by example is cited, in
stead. in the Louisiana equaliza-
ton law ola few years ago. AS
to how it has worked, we have no
particular knowledge. But the
following from a recent Times
Picayune article indicates failure,
land how it failed:
The assessment problem is wor-
rying all the states as much as
Louisiana, and as yet. no solution
has been found. Louisiana is
watching for a settlement, hoping
to find an honest and practical
one, but comparatively little pro-
gress has been made in that direc-
ton. Gov. Blanchard started on
the right lines and accomplished
some Improvement; but his sue
cessor, Sanders, was too much in
tterested in other projects, includ-
ing his election as United States
Senator, to accomplish much in
assessment reform. Gov. Hall
took up the work earnestly, but
the opposition of the politicians,
the tax-dodgers and a slush fund
traised to defeat the reform, sue
ceeded in preventing him carry
ing out his purpose of equal and
honest taxation.
+. Another failure is thus stated
by the st. Louis Globe Democrat,
Missouri, too, it seems, having a
tax problem in spite of an equaliz.
ing Board:
Alderman Barney L. Schwartz,
chairman of the special committee
appointed at Mayor Kiel's request
to protest against the unequal as.
sessment of property between the
counties and cities of Missouri
, announced at the close of a pub.
lie hearing last night, attended by
> more than 100 taxpayers, that the
committee would next week visit
the State Board of Equalization al
Jefferson City, and ask to have
the assessments equalized.
Judging from the past, a higf
St. Louis valuation will not cause
state Board OF Equalization to in.
crease valuations in other sections
proportionately. All property il
the state should, under the law
be assessed at full value. But i
has not been and all efforts tc
force compliance with the Law
throughopt the state have here
tofOre been in vain. It is gener
ally known that much persona
rEproperty he's been concealed from
the tax assessors both in st. Loui:
and in other parts of the state. 4
more edliQent effort to get sucl
] property ON the tax rolls woult
accomplish far more in the inter
lest Of Justice than an attempt rig
eIorouslvlo enforce the full valua
1tiOn "a So az the law in q commu