Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-01-12
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.

secured The State should assume and main
! ,ain the fill, thorough aud complete regula-
| tian of railroads by law.
ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
The assessed value of property Is as follows:
| Lands and town lots............S56 SOD, S9l ,SS5
| Personally. ...................... lul ,Ut3,09S
| halroaur.. ..................... 3o,.gS,Ol
ltiNGlanh> .,...,....,......... 4.l,2Sl
| lCrl EGEes,.... ..............,... l5o,3I3
SOL, $50, 1895
Less exemption for tree cIlturc...S 6,2iO, 1877
Total Tor taxation ,..........S 1896, no, 24l
| Nj property is protected by the law. All Is
| undcwalued, and much personal property is
| not listed for taxation, which is required by
| law to BE- listed. This imposes an undue pro-
portion of iaXes upon those who make full re-
| turns Ia the assessor. The plaincst principles
Il good government are violated, when these
qualities which may b. reached and obviated
| ., legislation. are stil permitted to exist year
lit"r year. Protection for all property Is de-
,irrl and those who have charge of it, and the
JwurrS, should not shrink from bearing their
iil>t share of the burden. County treasurers
-hpuld remit to the State Treasurer taxes col
'CtCd each month. Counties should be held
for full amount OF levy and have the benefit of
Ill interest collected. Much interesting infor-
nation and many suggestions as Ia proper leg
i~latiUn upon this subject viii he found in the
uiTrnt report of the Bureau Of Labor Stats
'i"N, obtained from county officers, many of
VII m ave had Ing experience Is assessing
property and in Iryying aud collecting taxes
iM-rc il Il very general feeling that additional
irgi, !a;ion is needed, and again commend the
whole matter Of assessment and taxation OF
prOpert, to your earnest consideration.
COUNTY AND CITY INDEBTEDNESS.
The report just mentioned also contains
some information relating to county and city
rate OitaNatiOn, expenditures and Indebtedness.
The reports are not complete, but enough IL
given to show that both city and county in
urhtrdncss is comparatively light. An cX-
crptiOn may bc made 10 this statement in the
case of five or six cities, and perhaps two Oh
three counties, that are still hearing consider
able burdens OF Indebtedness arising from aid
voted to railroads many years ago. On the
whole, however, the showing is very favorable,
in comparison with some Uf our ncighbOrng
States. Thirty-ve of our hfty-ci9ht cities
report an aggregate Indebtedness Of 81, 414, 3S3
Those reporting include nearly all of the
larger cities, aud it is probable that the entire
city Indebtedness Is not over Sl,OOOOOO. Coun-
~ Indebtedness amounts 10 !,1W, 100. No
where is higher standard Of public Orprivate
credit maintained, and nowhere are the rights
Of property more carefully guarded than In
Iowa.
COURTS OF CANCELLATION.
INDllt attention Is directed 10 simpler
and less expensive methods of settling dis
putrs between idividuals, such as often lead
10 costly litigation and sometimes to unplcas-
ant and VrXaiOuS fruds of long standing.
Courts of Cancellation have been in existence
many years in other countries with very
happy effect. They consist Of judges, not
usually lawyers, but men of good judgement,
high character and kindly disposition, who,
in the presence of both parties 10 dispute,
bat no other persons, hear both sides, and
then CndcavOr to bring them to Il common
understanding and agreement, and in large
majority of eases with entire success. 1t is
very simple method of arbitration, yet
permanent aud possessing sufficient power to
make its wurl, effective. ] do not doubt there
is much in this worthy of attention, and |
recommend that some committee Of your
body he charged with the duty of nvcsti-
eating and reporting upon it, with a view Of
bringing it into more general public notice
aud discussion which may lead to its adop-
ton.
TOPOGRAPIIICAL SURVEY.
An opportunity is afforded for making
complete and minute Typographical survey OF
the state in connection with Il similar work
row being executed BY the authority and
under the direction Ufthe general government
in the different States and Territories of the
Union. Full details Of the plan of cooper
alton. its utility, cost. time necessary for ITS
completion, etc, have been placed in my
hands by Prof Maddcrn of this State now
engaged in the United states geological sur
vcy. and shall he pleased to lay them before
YOU. or any committee of the General Assem-
bly, having su' h matters in charge. There Is
also need Tor a more careful geological survey
of the State than any hitherto made, par
tiCularly in reference TO the undeyrlOped
wealth which undoubtedly exists below the
surface. and to which there are many certain
Indications. The flow of NATURAL gas in
several counties the need of artisan wells,
and the benefit to be derived from the further
deveOpement Of our coal industry stimulate
the desire for more complete exploration OF
the interior Of the earth. Suggestions have
been made that the State should undertake
some work of this kind, doing 1t more systcma-
tically and thoroughly than can be accomplish
ed by private enterprise. The whole field rs
one of very interesting inquiry to which |
invite yOur attention.
REFUND OF DIRECT TAX.
tt r'e - bill before Congress for repaying
- IT,. states and Territories the sums respect
iVr.r received from them under the direct
tax act approved August, 1861. The amount
imposed upon Iowa under that law was s452,-
OSS The state undertook the collection of this
tax and received therefor Il commission or
discount OiIiftcpn Per cent. the actual amount
paid over to tine l. :. hring 1891 "a 80.
The whole tax imposed amounted to 100000.
900. The amount credited. us paid including
commissions. il Sli,Hj9, tiSj5l: amount still
due. e3.64O 3l4. o. The bill RENTS and re-
linpuiShrS thr latter amount and refunds the
former. THIS biil is lust and should bcCOm" a
law. II would relieve the states resting under
the burden Of the amount stu due, while the
rriundinT II the states which came to the
rrSCu' ut the general government when 1t
was in distress, would hr II graceful act on
the part ofthe latter now that its treasury
is buId"nrd with troublesome surplus. |
,.flI l1uf
for the speedy passage Of this bill
MISCELLANEOUS
NOtalial Commissions A new period OF
three years tor the issue OF notarial commits
sions viii begin July 1, 1855. The number
issued in the last two and Il half years is >,
991, for which lee of l25 each has been
charged. This hardly covers the expense
attending the issue Of Il commission. recon-
mend that the fee b. raised to 81, and for
commissioners in other state to -.
John Tomun School Lands Eight
zenith General Assembly appropriated 5000
to indemnify certain purchasers of land in
Webster and Hamilton counties. On the
20th OF December, 1887, there remained I'M
drawn OF said Appropriation 50 1911 Tie
| interest on these claims should be stopped.
Telegraph, Telephone and Express Com
pancs should be required 10 report us fully
| to State authorities as rairOd companies and
| bankers now do.
| Telegraph Tolls should be reduced. Twenty
| five cents Is sufficient compensation for
twenty words between any two points in
| Iowa.
| Divorces are more numerous than they
| should be in q we'll regulated society.
| recommend revision Of the law upon this
| subject with view 10 bringing it into
| harmony with the latest and best Judgment OF
| the aye in which We live.
Section SSH OF the Code should be amended
| by striking ont ten in the third line and
| Inserting sixteen"
| Drawing Money from the Treasury.
Auditor Of State suggests, il sections 1919 and
| 1888 of the Code were amended so as to make
| the current expenses Of the College for the
| Blind and the Institution for the Deaf and
| Dumb payable monthly. the business of his
| office would be facilitated, and that of these
| institutions conducted more satisfactorily.
| Money should be drawn from the State treasury
only a. ii is needed, and should not be al
| lowed to accumulate in local treasures
The Governor should have authority to
| receive an care for works of art and literary
productions.
Information from Judges.-On the 9th Of
| December, 1857. | addressed a letter to the
Judges of the State inviting suggestions rs to
amendments that should be made to our
statutes; and also requesting them to ap-
prise me Of the effect of the PrOhibtGry Law