The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-05-22


state government to do so and in $,
far as it was possible, considering
the number of business ventures up
on which the state had entered ant
in which losses had already accrued
but also promised that we would
reduce the assessed valuation, tn,
size of which We believed had en-
couraged extravaganza, and would re
adjust the basis of assessment ant
return as far as possible to the ole
basis which had been tried will
satisfaction in this state for period
Of twenty-eight years.
When the board of equalization met
in 1922, they found that under t.
laws Of the state then in force the
amount of reduction that could
made in the assessed value of the
state was rather small but they
nevertheless reduced it $69,1l2.4J
and in 1923 with the help of the new
legislation they reduced it 1888 1904
229 below 1921.
Kept Their Promises
When the legislature convened in
1923, every Independents member who
came to Bismarck felt that the prom.
ises made to the people of the state
must be kept. Most of them express
ed the hope that all property might
be assessed at so cents on the dol
lar. They soon discovered, however
that with the new obligations assum-
ed by the state and the political SUBJ
divisions in the past six years, it was
no longer possible to reduce the as
sessment to so per cent and that rs
per cent was as low as it was now
possible to go. This figure was
therefore agreed upon.
/ had no hesitancy in signing the
new law as ! believe it to be last
and fair and right in principle. If
the administration of it should re-
veal any inequalities or unfairness,
this could and should then be correct
ed by boards of equalization or by
the next legislature.
That the fairness of this legislation
commends itself to those who have
given the subject thot, is shown
by the futher fact that while, gener-
ally speaking, any change made in
the chief legislation enacted by the
League was made by a strict faction
al vote, that on this particular bill
we had the support and vote not only
of the Independents but also of eight
leading Leaguers who felt that even
tho the law they were changing was a
League law, that the change was just
and right and should be made. Such
we'll known men as Senators Gar.
berg of Adams, Ettestad Of McHenry
Nathan of Sheridan, Peck of Mclean
Whitmer of Oliver, Wog of Billings
and representatives Iverson OF
Griggs, and Satire of Steele, voted
for the measure as shown in the
House Journal for March l. and in
the Senate Journal for February 20
and March !.
en1ptions was also changed by the
last legislature in response to a very
general demand not only from tax
ing officials but from the majority
of the people of the state. The law
as enacted, abolished the exemptions
OF $500 on residences in cities and
villages, $500 on farm personal prop
erty, $500 on furniture, $500 on cloth.
ing, and $500 on working tools.
The legislature believed that every
man who had property should pay
some taxes, and should pay in pro.
portion to the value of his property
If he had just little property his
tax should be small; if he had much
his tax Should be large, but every
person should contribute something
to the maintenance of the govern.
ment and the institutions of his COM
munity and state.
The justice and fairness of this
legislation was so generally conced-
ed that even tho the bill changed
a law enacted by the League, we
find in the journals for February
Goth and March LIST that the follow
ing Leaguers voted in favor of the
change: Senators Benson, Byrne
Ettestad, Garberg, Gross, Ingerson
Nathan, Olson Of Eddy, Patten, Peck
Ward, Whitmer, and Wog, and also
Representatives Patterson and Twet-
hen. How ridiculous then for the
League platform to crticise this legis-
lation and to demand return to the
former inequitable distribution and
unjust conditions.
COunselled Caution
Some have said: If you only could
have made this change, reducing the
assessed value Of our lands, without
at the same time reducing the assess
ed value of the railroads, it would
have been, all right. The answer is
|plain, The chief demand For change
had come from the formers. Theye
were the chief suffers. since their
property constituted about two-thirds
|,of all the property of the state and
more than four times as much as all
the property 81 public utilities, includ-
ing railroads. The whole change
was made as a matter of Justice and
eqAaity; and, even the railroads are
entitled to what lis just and fair. II
It is mot accorded them by the law
they can get it in the courts. Their
property had been placed in Class
Cine with tie farm laiids and business
J property Of the statssand assessed