Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-03
OUR COLUMBUS LETTER
Seventy-First General Assem-
bly, Making a Name.
THE TAXATION LEGISLATURES.
Now Comes a Sweeping Taxation
Amendment For the Next
Legislative Election. -
THE TAXATION LEGISLATURE.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

Defeat of Hastkelrs County Local Option
Bill-How the Friends of the woman's
Suffrage Bill Secured the Passage of
the Measure-The First Appropriation
Bill About S15O More than the Reve-
nues For the Year-The Anti-Biennial-
lists Last Stand-Defeat of the Musgrove
Doctors Bill.
COLUMBUS, o.. May /.
The Seventy-first general assembly Is
fast earning the enviable name of the
taxation legislature. After passing bills
taxing everything in sight and many
things not in sight it proposes to submit
most sweeping taxation amendment at
the next legislative election. It sees the
amendment of last year and goes it sew
eral better, and it is understood to have
the sanction of the executive Of the state.
The amendment proposes to allow the
general assembly the power to tax fran
chises of corporations exercising corpor-
ate powers within the state and invest
ments on corporate stocks and bonds and
"other intangible property" In addi-
ton, if found necessary the legislature
may levy taxes upon other "subiects of
taxation" When corporations and in
tangible property are once taxed as such
they shall be
Exempt From Other Forms of Taxation
A county taxing board is provided for in
each county, and the legislature shall
name the number to be on each of the
SO boards. The term of Office of the
members of the taxing board is to be five
years. The taxing boards shall submit
an ordinance to the people of their re-
spective counties providing for the man.
ner of raising the necessary revenue in
each particular county. If adopted these
ordinances remain in force until another
ordinance is substituted in similar man.
ner at regular November elections.
Amendments to existing taxing ordi-
nances may be proposed for an option in
the same way. The general assembly is to
Fix the Manner of Raising the Revenue
In all counties where a failure to pass
taxing ordinance for any reason shall
occur. The same exemptions as now ex-
ist are provided for.
This, it will be seen, is sweeping
change from the present mode of raising
taxes. It gives the state power enough
to collect its support without calling upon
the counties for a penny, and it gives
the counties the right to say how and
what taxes shall be paid within their
own confines, without having the legis-
lature step in and interfere. This is
local option in taxation and franchise
taxation as well.
Constitutional Amendments.
There is strong feeling against sub
mitting any amendment to the constitu-
tion next year. Already one amend
ment, the governors veto resolution, has
been voted down in the house, more be-
cause 1t is impossible to amend the con-
shtution under the rule set down in the
constitution. Last year the two amend
ments submitted were beaten by about
$4,000 majority. The circuit court
amendment to the constitution was
adopted dozen years ago by the COM
mon consent Of the party managers
Both the Democrats and Republicans
agreed to print but one side of tho ques-
tion upon all ballots, thus making the
thoughtless voter vote for the amend
ment and compelling those opposed to
the change to take positive action. But
that was an amendment to
Provide For More Political CHices
and naturally both sides were agreed. If
the legislature decides to have printed
upon the ballots simply the words ''tax-
alton amendment, yes" thus compelling
those opposed to do the scratching and
making the thoughtless voter agree to
the amendment, the resolution will no
doubt succeed before the people. But
this is open to grave objections as pre-
cedent, for the people may be caught
mapping in the future and be made to
adopt something that they would find