st. Even if the assessors of
an entire county agree upon terms of valuation, they are together under
the same influence with reference to state and special taxes. A more
definite cause of under-valuation is the practice of exempting a certain
limited amount of property from all taxes. If personal property worth $200
is exempt from taxation for every householder, the smaller the assessment
for his total property, the larger in proportion is the exemption.
Specific taxes at a fixed rate, for state or school or improvement
purposes, operate in the same way to force down the valuation of property
in the entire state or district. In assessment of real estate even greater
violence is sometimes done to equity. In newly settled portions of the
country the valuation of land held in the name of non-resident owners is
notoriously high. Often in cities the assessor is subject to political
influences and social connections in such a way as to destroy all equity
in taxation. The official oath attached to such assessments is a sham.

If all property of stated kinds were equally and fairly valued, the burden
of taxation would be most fairly distributed as regards property owners.
Any tendency to undervalue is sure to oppress the weaker part of these
property holders. If the price of a horse is fixed at twenty dollars, when
the average price is sixty, the more wealthy owner of horses whose average
value is above the general average has a larger part of his property
exempt than the poorer owner whose horses are below the average. In the
same ratio all household goods and even farms and buildings are
under-estimated.

In this connection it is proper to mention the exemption of certain
property devoted wholly to public welfare and contributing alike to the
good of all citizens. In every state there are multitudes of schools,
created and sustained by gifts of benevolent men. These supplement and
extend the work of the state for general enlightenment, and are wisely
encouraged by exemption from the burden of taxation, because their entire
income is devoted to the same ends which the state serves. Public
libraries and churches, devoted to such general enlightenment and moral
growth, are wisely included in this exemption. Nobody suffers, but
everybody gains, by the use of private property for such purposes. If in
any way these institutions serve the private ends of individuals, those
individuals become themselves property owners, subject to th