The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-01-21
Steele, N. D.,
Jan. Is, 1882.


Jan. Is, 1882.
Dear Sir:
In your issue of January Is, 1882,
under title "Favors Tax Sale" there
appears an article written by one
who signs his name "A North Da-
kotan," which in my estimation
comes so near to disclosing one of
the real problems of the taxpayers
of today, that it really deserves to
be lauded by the public generally.
| want to say in the way of a
preface to my remarks on this SUBJ
ject that am now, and have been
for 20 years last past member in
good standing of the Bar of Indiana;
and, therefore, know whereof speak
on legal matters. The gentleman
who signs "A North Dakotan," men,
tons intangible property, which of
course, includes such property as tax
exempt securities, number of which
are exempt in this state, that are
not tax exempt in Indiana. Real
estate mortgages, for instance, are
exempt from taxation in North Da-
kota, but are taxed in Indiana, and
believe that is just taxation. If
such mortgages were taxed in this
state, it would cut our real estate
taxes in half. If l have a small
equity in quarter-section Of land
worth $4,000 my equity consisting
OF say $500 and some eastern loan
company holds mortgage against
this quarter for the sum of $1,000,
is it just that I pay eight per cent
interest per annum on this sum of
$500, together with all taxes on the
said quarter, while the one who real
ly has the $4,000 equity in this land
sits back and pays no taxes, or in
terest on any part of this property?
In the state of Indiana the legisla-
ture long since said by it's conduct,
that if the loan agency owned ST.
500 worth of this real estate and was
receiving interest on that much of
the same, that it was to pay it's
part Of the taxes assessed against
this land and l, for one, say that it
is just tax.
If the old and wealthy state of
Indiana cannot afford to have its
owners of real estate pay both in
terest and taxes on their homes, then
it is my best judgment that this
young, poor state of North Dakota
had better profit by the example set
by Indiana, and at it's next session
of its legislature see to it that all
farm mortgages in this state pay
taxes on all lands covered thereby,
to the full extent of said mortgages.
Any sane taxpayer knows that there
must be just so many dollars raised
each year with which 20 pay taxes
and that every dollar Of wealtn that
is put into non-taxable securities
or into intangible property, as the
North Dakotan says-will cause the
levy on tangible property to be rails
ed just so many dollars. Farms
cannot be stored out Of sight and,
consequently, bear the burden of tax
exempt securities.
We hope that when the time comes
again to make new laws-of which
we have vastly too many now-that
there will De a sufficient number
among our legislators who are IA
vorablc to taxing real estate mort
cages. to pass just such law a.
Indiana has at this time. Any farm
er in North Dakota. who has fought
high taxes and eight per cent inter-
est at the same time, should realize
just how hopeless is the struggle.
Again l want to commend that let
ter of the North Dakotan, and hope
that he will live to carry on for q
long time to come.
]. N. McCARTER,
Steele, No. Oak.