The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-10-26
PROPOSED REFORM IN
FEDERAL LAWS AFFECTS
ALL OF THE TAX-PA YERS
II. c. Preston of Tax Commission Points Out Pres
ent Provisions Requiring Taxation Of Every
Dollar Of Bank Deposits and of Loans and
Credits, and Triple Taxation of Mortgaged
Farms and Appeals to Voters TO APP
prove Proposal to Change This
Provision of the Constitution.

shall be assessed at its true and full
value in money; that money, wheth-
er in possession or OH deposit, shall
be entered in the statement at the
full amount thereof. To further COM
ply with the present constitution, the
county auditors and assessors are
liable to penalties for failure to
knowingly carry out these obnoxious
provisions, from two hundred to one
thousand dollars in the discretion OF
the courts.
lit is being urged by special cor
poration interests that the trainers
of the present Constitution intended
wise and practical method in the
assessment and taxation of ali prop
erty on an exact Qaaety, The answer
to this assertion lies III The fact that
after nearly thirty years in an at
tempt to enforce the present Consti-
tuition and the law it has proven 4
failure.
THE Supreme Court of the United
States we'll said
GA system which imposes the
same tax upon every species of prop
erty irrespective OF its nature, CON
|
OF the principle of uniformity and
equality in TAXATION
"An attempt on the part of taxing
officials to carry out the mandates OF
our present Constitution works the
greatest hardships on those least able
to pay. 1t imposes double taxation
on one and grants entire immunity on
the next; it educates people to be-
come tax dodgers and violators OF
law.
"How long shall this farce continue
and when will it end? Anything like
an attempt to enforce the present
Constitution either by the tax payers
or taxing officials, results in saying
as an excuse: oh, the present Con
stitution and laws are so out of date
and obnoxious that public sentiment
urges their violation
"lt is now up to the voters to say
whether they desire the present ou
OF date Constitution to remain, and
if so, it will be a poor excuse to long
er say that our present constitution
and laws are antiquated.
Of the people vote to retain the
present constitutional provision il
should not be said hereafter that al
enforcement by the taxing Officials
will result in driving capital out o
the state-taXing mortgages, thereby
making the borrower virtually pa,
double and triple taxes, taxing the
farm owner for the fun value of his
farm without permitting the reduc
tion OF his mortgage debt, and taNin.
also the holder of the mortgage fo
its full value, always resulting in
triple tax for the farmer and lane
owner to pay.
amendment No 8 on the amendmen
ballot, and away with this double anC
triple tax. The enforcement of W,
present constitutional provision
works a hardship upon those leas
able to bear the burdens OF taxation
No one will be to blame but the vot
ers themselves in the retention o
our present constitution relating t,
taxation, and its consequent results
TT is unfortunate and humiliat
ing to say that public sentiment i
contrary to express constitutions
provisions and that thereby the pub
lie should with impunity defy tn
Constitution and laws.
The vote on this proposed chang
on November 18th will demonstrat
the public sentiment.
Personally, I have no ak to grint
or motive other than the general vel
fare in advising voters to vote Yves
; for Number of the proposed amend
ments and put stop to this ruthles
violation oi the constitution and law
: Iof the state