Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1920-05-13

extravagant and expensive one eve
known. He promised to abolish use
less offices; he created many new
ones. He promised rigid economy
he increased salaries of many. Ii
short, out of his many promises only
one was kept, the assessment laws
were changed. In his announcement
for reelection he claims this was
his only promise, and that it was
forced upon him by the party and
his predecessor.
My Platform
My platform reduced to a mini.
mum is repeal and abolish" My
announcement In full was:
81 shall advocate the repeal of the
1919 assessment laws, all state laws
affecting the liquor traffic, the dog
law and various other vicious and
obsolete statutes.
'I shall urge the abolishing of the
railroad commission, with all it's at
tachments; the state board of ad-
ministration and every other useless
official and clerk.
"It will be my aim to put stop to
reckless expenditure of public money,
to put the state finances upon a
sound basis by bringing down expens-
es instead of increasing taxes"
The Assessment Law
The present assessment law is one
of the most unfair statutes ever en-
acted. Designed, tits claimed by
it's advocates, to provide an equitable
basis for levying taxes, in practice it
will shift an increased proportion of
taxes upon the farmers and other
real estate owners. The real purpose
Of the law is to raise more revenue
for the state. 1t makes no difference
how much talk is made nor how
many figures are given-more money
is what they want, and it must come
from the taxpayers. The state is
now being run in debt about $3.50, 900
a year and the authors Of this new
law say it will wipe, out
this large deficit and pay the state
debt in a few years. If they are cor
rect, then this new law must produce
about $1,0O0,0O0 more taxes. each
year.
But, to get back to the real es-
tate owner. Figures made public by
the chief statistician indicate that
land values have been made more
than three times what they were in
1918. This is for the whole state. In
some counties the increase is more
and in others less. The figures ON
personal property have not been CIV
en- out, but unless this property is as
sessed at three times what it was in
1918, the charge that realestate will |
be made to bear larger part of the
AK burden is absolutely proven, and |
he farmers will pay the freight.
In recent newspaper article
made the following additional objec-
ions to- the assessment law:
It destroys one of the most cher
shed tenets of democracy-local self
lIiCht, AdhlA6 OhO IhO
ritual assessor for the whole state.
It reflects upon the intelligence
md integrity of every voter in the
tate by assuming that no local as
essor can be elected, who is honest
'nough to make an honest assess
nent.
1t allows an arbitrary valuation to
'e placed upon property, and makes
!. impossible for any person who
cells aggrieved to secure any reduc-
ion by even his own affidavit The
ocal assessor cannot correct any err
or of valuation of his own volition,
ven though he knows it to be un-
lst, but may lower 1T only upon the
worn statement of some creditable
nd disinterested witness. I,
Other laws have put the local asses ;
1rs under oath and bond to assess /,
roperty at its true value, and this :
ew law sends out men from Nash J.,
lille to embarrass them in their .
ork and tell them where to get off.
It creates a number of soft jobs at
rye salaries for members Of the !
gislature who voted for it's passage, !,
nd will cost @the taxpayers about .
10000 the first year for the privi- q
ge of having their taxes raised.
But, tn = say, look at our sliding -
ale that automatically reduces the .
tie for taxing property. Estimates =
I've been made that the state rate =
lit be reduced from 65 cents to
lly 20 cents. Glorious! But If this -
innate is correct about the same !,
venue will be produced as under =
e old order, and whence would
me the increased revenue? Be not . ),
ceived. The valuation and rate =
axes no difference-the amount, of =
oDey taken from his pocket is what a.
ncerns the taxpayer. Some en- :,
usiastic advocates Of the sliding =
ale have wildly declared that the !,
CHER the valuation the less the !,
kes. Then If we were assessed an d
erage of one million dollars our =,
roc wO,lld he nothing A ropular a.