The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-04-07
THE INEQUALITY OF TAX
ASSESSMENTS.

Editor KincannOn OF the Tupelo
Journal, who is also a member Of
the Legislature from Lee county.
has gone to the double of COM
plfing a very comprehensive and
instructive statement of lands in
each county in the State of Miss
issippi, a review Of which reveals
many startling facts. R%epresen-
tative Kincannon in publishing
this statement has let in the sun
light of publicity, and has thereon
proven beyond a doubt that some
radical change is necessary in or
der to bring about a more equita-
BILE assessment of the States lands.
With the light of these facts be-
fore us, is it any wonder that the
States revenues are running be-
low the expenses each year
Woodville Republican.
AS Mr.. Kincannon's "compre-
hensive and,instructive statement"
is compiled from a form carried in
the Auditors statement at least
since 1918, it ought not to be so
Startling" Nor is it news to be
shown that a change to bring
about a more Equitable land as
assessment" is needed. The sore
is a long running one. The ques-
ton on which Mr.. Kincannon shed
not the blessed light of public
ity" is a practical plan-how to do
it? Great expectations have been
aroused by the Kyle bill's creation
Of a Board of Equalization. That
this, while plausible, may prove a
broken reed to lean upon is inGi-
Gated by past experience, and in
telligent comprehension of the
question. A case in point is cited
in the following from a Globe
Democrat editorial of the Doth ult.:
Injustice is not done to St.
Louis alone, or to any other Of
the Missouri municipalities. by a
refusal Of the State Board of
Equalization TO equalize. 1t is done
to many rural counties which are
grossly overassessed in compari-
son with other counties in the
same class. Signed statements
were submitted to the Equaliza-
ton Board at Mondays hearing
of the st. Louis protest, coming
from assessors, bankers, lawyers
and others familiar with the real
values in the t~hirty-seven counties
which had been included in the
inquiry. These make some start
ling revelations of discrimina-
tons long permitted by the board,
Thus we here find startling
facts" or revelations" of inc.
quality in spite of an Equalizing
Board. Any one looking over the
assessed lisAeklands by counties
in any state, must realize that the
task of "equalizing" their values
is no light job. And back of diff.
ferences in soil, and circumstances
of production and shipment among
the counties, are dissimilarities
within each of the counties
wheels within wheels. And oil
all the states, we confidently ven.
tnre the assertion that in none is
there a greater range, or complex
ity of, variance than in Mississippi
Viewed fairly, what the Globe.
Democrat charges as "a refusal Of
the State Board to equalize," may
we'll be attributed, at least largely
to an inability to equalize. These
elements of the problem of equal
ization are pointed out with nc
thought of denying or obscuring
the existence of a suspicion, {
feeling of distrust, of the honest
dealing of the others; that has lee
to the vicious practice Of, gener.
, orally speaking, each county seek
ing to shield itself by an under
assessment of tax values, from ar
assumed under assessment Of tai
values, from an assumed under
assessment, of others; that has
led to the vicious practice of, gen
orally speaking, each county seek
ing to shield itself by an under
assessment of tax values, from al
assumed under assessment, Of
others. This collective form Of
decentralization and dishonesty is
brought home to the counties
separately, by the reconcilemen1
il. creates to citizens cheating each
other; a game in which the mar
rowing circle Of honest men is the
loser.