The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-18
FLORENCE BORNER
Baldwin, N. D.
of The Tribune:

the fact that real estate is bearing an
unjust share of taxation, yet, it
would seem that the time has not yet
come for the drastic taxation pro-
posed by certain members of the
legislature.
Think of putting a tax on chewing
gum!
It would seem as if we are but
adding to the tax burden, should we
adopt any such measure, instead of
reducing it.
Tax, tax-tax! It seems as if that
is all some persons think of. In
stead of reducing taxes, thinking of
other means to add to the burden.
We have too many Queensland
too many office holders. 1t started
in the "Townley" regime. This has
steadily grown, until, like the pro-
verbal SNOWFALL, it has steadily
forged onward.
The war is over! Peace and pros
perity is shining on the land-if we
are to believe certain well-meaning
gentlemen.
Certainly, if the proposed nuisance
taxes really would benefit the peo-
pie at large. we would be for them.
But, how do we know they will ?
What assurance is given us that
bills, once passed, will not serve to
foster other hungry office holders
upon the payroll, whose salaries
will consume all or nearly all the
; moneys received from such taxes?
No proposal has as yet been made
to actually reduce taxes, as we can
seq And, being a person from the
"Show Me" state, / want to see
before believing.
What l would propose in the way
of tax reduction to benefit all the
people n the following:
| First: Exemption of $500 on
clothing. This taxing of the same
old rags year in and year out should
stop!
Second: Exempt household furni-
ture to the value of $500 from
taxation. A married man has a hard
row to hoe, and should be given
some little assistance. Such a law
would do this.
Third: Exempt a reasonable
amount Of farm machinery and live
stock from taxation. Enough so a
man can raise enough to live on
without being taxed for the privi-
lege.
Fourth: Exempt from taxation
seed grains and feed necessary to
put in a crop.
Fifth: A workers tools should be
exempt.
Sixth: Assess property, except
business houses in villages and un-
incorporated towns, the same as
farm property in the same district.
The small town business men and
merchants are suffering from the
same depression that is crushing
their customers.
Seventh: 1nasmuch as the hen is
sometimes the one salvation of the
farmer, exempt from taxation a
flock Of at least so chickens.
Eighth: After having done all this
bring IN your nuisance taxes. We
will be glad to pay them--but, not
before!
A READER.
Editor of The Tribune:
Well. it has happened just as we
had foreseen some years ago: The
state has got the land and the farm
r have got the taxes.
Every time the state f~orecloses on
q piece of land it means an added
burden to the adjoining land owners
the state does not, and prob
ably meyer will, pay taxes -on it's
property.
It was all mighty fine when a
fellow could borrow a nice sum on
his land, get it from the state at q
low rate of interest and on long pay
ments, and we still think there is
lots of good in the law, but, when
everything went kerfluey as to
prices and the farmer couldn't pay
said interest-well. it was just too
bad and North Dakota soon owned
another farm.
Well, it wasn't SO bad the first
year. or 50. But soon the shoe began
to pinch and it has been getting
worse ever since. The worst Of it is.
We can't take the shoe off and re-
lievc the pain. Can the state be
made to pay taxes, we begin to ask
ourselves, and then we learn to our
sorrow that it's easier to get into a
hole than to get out-unless we have
provided a ladder, which-sad to say
have not.
Il takes 50 much money to run. a
district, SO much for schools, roads,
etc. and when from one-sixth to one
half Of the land is owned BY some-
one who won't pay taxes it is easy to
see what happens. The resident
farmers must pay them, and that is
n reason for the cry Of high taxes.
If the state is going into the
wholesale real estate business, if it
is permitted to rent the farms it