Tax Equalization

Editor of Coürier: In your paper oi' May 18tli, you say that tlie article of Mr. Wyukup on the equalization of the county has attracted cousiderable attentiun and has been commemled by a number of supervisors, lmperfectly as the article was writteu it bas aürairted some ittention, but I do not wish to have the impression convoyed that any considerable number of the present board of supervisors have endorsad t. The new niembers as a rule, wlll not be likely to coinmit thcmselves to any course of action which inight endanger their chances of being placed in a ntuation where they inight benetit their aistricts. The old uieinbers of the board, most of wltoin liave been right in their glory on this equalization business will be happy in letting well enougli alone. Stilt some of the present board are out spoken in their eondeinnation of the present systein of equalization. But the endorseuient of the article inent o ned above comes mostly f rom old supervisors, or more properly speaking ex-supervisors. Some of them are ex-supervisois voluntarily and some of them are exsupervisors, not bccause they wtre not good and capable oflicers tor they wero, not bccause tbcy did nol di tribute the twrtleus of taxation over their townships wííli a fair and impartía] hand. Oh no, there was no complaint on that ground. But they are ex-supervisors solely because they have been the unfortiinate victims of the uurelenting cruelty and greediness of one or more committees on equalization. They have had a bitter experience in this business and it is no wonder they condemn it In strong language, and I havo no doubt f the present system iscontinued there are members on the present board of supervisors who will heartialy endorse what I have written on this subject, next fall if tbey do not now. They will be in the same situation as the darkey minister who announced to his congregation with tears in his eyes that he should preach to tliem no more, for said he "niy church has jes been donegone and sent me in my resignation." But I see my article is too long already and I will basten a close. Wben I commenced writing this article I thought I would seud you some figures drawn froin officia] sources showing the raluation of one or more committees districts before and after they had passed tbrough their owu smut mili oí' equalization. In some extreme cases it migbt be bard to teil whicu was grist and which the tol], and if the supervisors who represented them had their cboice they would tiardly have known which to choose; to kave the state and county taxes levied on fsjiaat they liad taken oü' their districts or on wlmt they had lefton. In taking leave of itfcüe subject I venture the prediction Üiatitie present board of supervisors will aot be.uaanimous in upholding the old system. af equalization and the time is not ki in; the future when it will be totally ubaadoned. Of course this desirable state of Ching w.ill not be brought about without a. struggle for there have always been members af the baard in the past and probsbly will be in tbs future in favor of " The Qd old plan fitst he liall lake w'ur. has the power Aütl üe kUrII keeip whu-au." Ann Ari-.ir, May %IA, 1883.