The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-09-16


the board OF tax Commissioners. The
conference report in the senate was
made q srecial order for March ?. at
II 80 a. III. This report had 70 Do
adoprHl by both houses and the vote on
its adoption was virtually the test vote
on tho final passage Of the bill. No
parliainentariaa will dispute this state.
inent. Without the adoption Of this re-
port BY both houses the tax bill would
have died in the conference committee
Mr.. Shockney will, perhaps. dodge the
question by quoting the roll call on the
passage Of the bill when it first came up
in the senate. On that vote Mr.. Shock
ney is recorded in the negative. But it
must be understood the bill as it finally
passed with Mr.. Shockneys vote was
far different from the bill rs originally
passed against his vote. When it origin
ally passed the senate it was loaded
down with amendments: one was especi-
ally obnoxious 70 Mr.. Shockney. which
took the power Of appointment Of the
tax commissioners from the governor
This amendment was dropped by the
conference committee and Mr.. Shock
uey then votel for the bill as already
shown by the record. However. only a
pettifogger would resort TO such dodge
In the house the conference report was
adopted without division. The report
on part Of the house was signed by
Beasley- Oppenheim and Claypool-
same Claypool who has written 50 much
for The journal against the tax law re-
Gently. II Mr.. Claypool had been op-
posed to the law then. why did he not
bring in a minority report: If there
We're two Republican members in the
house opposed 70 the BILL why did they
not avail themselves Of Section IL,
Article 4 Of the constitution. which
says: The ayes and noes on any ques-
ton shall at the request Of two members
be entered together with the names Of
the member demanding the same
Governor Hovey will long be remcm-
bered as "voto governor" Of Indiana.
Every bill that met his disapproval was
promptly vetoed. But the tax law be
fully Endorsed with his signature, a. will
be seen by consulting page lie2 Of the
house journal. which contains the fol-
lowing message:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
INnfASAPOLIs, Ind, March Z, 1891.
Mr. Speakers:
am directed by the governor To inform
the house that he has signed house bill No,
4S1. the same being ian act concerning
taxation. Very Respectfully.
w. Il RunrEIs Private Secretary.
No doubt if Governor Hovey were
living be would be proud Of his action
on the tax bill. And lifetime will come.
too, when Mr.. Shockney and the other
Republicans who voted for il. will refer
20 this vote with pride. for the new tax
law does not levy cent Of taxes but
compels the railroad corporations to pay
taxes on full values
As the new tax law, rs heretofore
stated. does noe levy taxes, It simply
provides how property shall Be assessed.
Separate bills q the Legislature in 1901
levied two special taxes. One Of six
cents for the support Of the benevolent
institutions, and one Of five mills for the
completion Of the soldiers monument.
Both these tax levies are temporary and
only for the years 1891 and 1892. Next
year this extra levey amounting to six
and one-half cents will not be made.
The twelve cents levy for the support q
the state. which has been In existence
since 1877, and the one-half cent levy for
the state university endowment fund,
the sixteen cent levey for the support Of
common schools, the fifty cents poll
for the common school fund. and fifty
cents on each poll for the general state
fund will remain on the statute books
the same as they have been for years.
The extra six cents tax levied by the
last legislature 10 stop the increase Of
the state debt contains just one section,
and was approved by Governor Hovey,
March Z, as will be seen by reference
to the house journal. page 1910.
Why Is Mr.. Shoclsney denouncing the
law which he helped to place on the
statute books? Because the Republican
state platform dictated at Fort WAYNE
by the richest man in Indiana. &. w.
Fairbanks, owner Of three railroads. de-
nounces the law--because Mr.. Fairbanks
has been compelled b pay more taxes On
his railroads
The bounty paid to the Louisiana