The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-25
The Great Tax Conspiracy.

The names OF the counties having re-
publican commissioners when the assess
ments were made are printed in italics.
and q glance through the table will show
that opposite nearly every italicized name
there is heavy increase of local taxes.
1t happened, curiously enough, that
exactly one-half the counties had
republican commissioners and one-half
democratic. In the forty-six republican
counties there is a total increase of taxes
OF 81, 1865, 030.S4, of which 5000, 1913, or
81, 25S, 265.7l is local taxes. In the forty
six democratic counties the total increase
is only 81 1874, 25l.42, OF which 1923, 1920
is state taxes aud 500 45s.s2 local taxes.
OF the latter amount it will be noticed
that 1927, 1862 occurs in Marion county,
and S2l3, 29l90 in the other forty-five
democratic counties. We shall show here
after that most, il not all of this, was due
to increased leyies made by republican
township trustees, town boards and school
boards in democratic counties
The tax law has nothing to do with the
increase of local taxes, which are fixed
entirely by local officials. The increase of
state taxes is slightly greater in the demo-
cratic counties than in the republican
counties because the assessment of the
former increased more. The increase OF
assessment in the forty-six democratic
counties was from s4lS, 422, III in 1890 to
S625. O57. 725 in 1891, or S2O6, $50. COS. In
the republican counties it was from $780,
252, 270 to $500, 1913, 3l3, or $40, 946O43. If
the increase of taxes were due to the law
there would, OF course, be a greater in
crease of taxes in the democratic counties
than in the republican counties, but, in
fact, it is $3.50, 779.42 less.
In the statement OF state taxes the state
school tax is not included because it is in
fact local tax. The state does not re-
ceive one cent of it. but it is apportioned
to the counties for the support OF the
chools, and the local school taxes should
have been decreased to the came extent
that the state school tax was increased
Notification OF this was given throughout
the state by the superintendent of public
instruction before the taxes were levied
The actual increase of taxes paid by
railroads is $685., 203.2s. or from 81 ,O93,-
$50. rs for 1890 to S2,0S1, 140.06 for 1891.
The increase of assessment for state pur-
p )ses Is 81, 23O, 547.73, but deducting from
this the usual delinquency the amount
actually paid would be Sl,069, 1929. OF
this sum, therefore, the railroads alone
will pay all but $50. 56s.95, and the increase
on other corporations will much more than
cover that amount. AS to railroad and
state taxes the counties divide into four
groups.
In the nine democratic counties OF Cass,
Clerk, Dubois, Franklin, Jackson, Miami,
Pike, Scott and Wells, and the republican
county of Steuben. there has been a de-
crease of total taxes paid.
In the four democratic counties of Bar
tholomew, Hancock, Martin and Warrick,
and the republican county of Montgomery,
the increase of railroad taxes is greater
than the total increase of taxes, and hence
the people pay less.
In the seven democratic counties of
Dearborn. Laporte, Marshall, Owen, Posey,
Pulaski and starke, and in the twenty
three republican counties of Benton,
Fayette. Fountain. Hendricks, Henry,
Jasper, Jay, Jennings, Kosciusko, Lake,
Lawrence, Morgan, Newton, Orange,
Parke, Porter. Randolph, Rush, Tippeca-
noe, Union, Vermillion, Warren and
Wayne. the increase on railroads is greater
than the increase OF state taxes, and in
these there would have been decrease
of total taxes paid by individuals if the
local taxes had not been increased.
In the remaining counties the increase
on railroads is less than the increased state
tax, and as We have no convenient way
OF ascertaining the increase OF taxes on
other corporations We cannot say in how
many of them there should have been a
decrease OF total taxes. The results as to
railroads alone, however, are sufficient
to demonstrate the excellent character OF
the law, and to show up the republican
local officials who have needIessly taken
over 81 SOC, 900 from the pockets of the peo-
pie OF Indiana in order to prejudice them
against the new tax law. There is reason
to believe tha. this was suggested to them
by the corporation people who desire the
repeal of the law.
LAST year the appropriation for the pur-
/