The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-12-19

30 fully explains your duties and
powera that you should commit this
section to memory. You have a right
20 administer oath 10 any taxpayer
making his returns. You ave n right
to call for papers, books. or anything
that will aid you In arriving at the
quantity and character OF taxable
property.
Assessment OF Merchandise
The assessment Of merchandise Is
one in which the assessors should pay
particular attention. Where n COM
~prehcneive system of accounts II kept
by n mercantile establishment II II not
n hard matter TO arrive Mt tho aver.
age value Of merchandise. Now that
merchandise has practically reached
the bottom from tho high war peak
OF prices and which the commission
recognized for 1921 by allowing as
high ~ 80 la per cent for d~eprecla-
ton you Will find Il no longer neceA-
sary to allow depreciation for falling
war prices. You will doubtless find
numerous merchants who will be
claiming depreciation from war prices
hut ! think hnt the war prices have
practically all beer discounted during
the last two years and u will not be
necessary TO make "a allowances In
the future. Certain -depreciationa such
ar obsolete and damaged merchan-
disc IL always permissible depending
largely on tho character Of goods.
A you all know there ARE certain
lines OF merchandise like provisions
and groceries. that have rapid turn
over nre not entitled to the sane de-
probation for obsolete and damaged
goods that other line, such as ladies'
r~ehd-to-wear including ladies' dresses
coafs and hats are entitled to. Your
wi good Judgment will have TO be
relied upon In such matters In this
connection | raj to say. In the as
seEsmcnt Of merchandise every once
In a while something happens that
discioses the situation In tho asscss-
ment II this class OF property. am
reminded Of this by a certain big fire
in n department store In the state
within the last two or three months
In which the property was assessed
for 1921 II 5000. The fire adjust
er representing the big fire insurance
company settled the damage 10 the
stock for tS5. 1000 and the company
owning the store has been advertising
a fire sale Of 5000. 600 worth Of goods
at fire sale prices. ! am mentioning
no names and I do not blame the as
SCISSOR in that county because the
same firm has been foOllng the tax
commission In past years the same
as they fool the assessor this year. ]
am only calling your attention to this
to demonstrate to you TINT II II alb.
solutely essential for each and every
one Of you TO use good judgment and
courage in demanding the books and
inventories and everything necessar
to arrive at an honest valuation OF
the property,
Dry Turning Land
The success Of farming without ir-
rigation in New Mexico on what Is
known as dry farming lands. IL he
coming 50 important that II Is no
longer IN experiment. The dry farm
inr lends Of the eastern part Of this
state II woefully UNDERMINED In pro-
portion to the earning capacity and
also In proportion to the value Of
lands under irrigation Under the
Elephant Butte project IN the Me-
zilla valley and also In the upper Rio
Grande. In pecos nnG San Juan val
lcyz and in many other districts under
irrigation In the state the assessed
value 81 land In cultivation Is around
from 80 to Is dollars per acre ac-
cording to distance from transporta
tion, etc. Yet much OF these irrigated
lands do not produce hut little II any