The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-01-09

appropriations made by the board Civ
ing FIVE mills on the dollar valuation
The rate OF the state school tax shall
not be less than one-half mill, nor NOR,
than one and one-half mills on the dol
lar valuation; and the rate of the STATE
sinking fund tax shall not be more
than three-fourths of mill on the dol
lar valuation i'm any county I'm the
state" IL will thus be observed thai
this board as a board of equalization
shall equalize taxes by varying the rat'
of taxation i'm the different counties in
case inequalities appear to exist i'm the
valuation of property as returned by
such counties. BY the limitation Of
statute preventing a levy of the genera
fund state tax to exceed five mills or
the dollar valuation, ii has been found
necessary by the board of equalization
I'm order to meet the appropriations
made by the legislature, to levy to the
full limit allowed by law. Even ther
the revenues raised for a series OF
years past have been insufficient II
will thus be seen that the board has
found itself unable to equalize taxes
by varying the rate Of the general
fund levy and that the equalization OF
the valuation of property In different
counties has been restricted to the vari-
atoms permitted in the levy of the state
school taxes, which shall not be less
than one-half mill nor more than one
and one-half mills, and the sinking
fund taxes. which shall not be more
than three-fourths mill The margins
thus allowed for equalizing these taxes
are entirely inadequate and If this
method of equalization shall obtain i'm
the future, 1 urgently recommend that
greater latitude shall be given the
board by amending this section of the
statute so as to increase the levy for
general purposes from two to four
mills on the dollar valuation. This
would give a much better opportunity
of equalizing the burdens of taxation
by varying the levy in different coun-
ties as the different valuations may re-
Quire and yet enable the board to col
lect the necessary revenues and meet
the appropriations made by the legis-
lature.
Beet Sugar Bounty.
Nebraska Is essentially an agricultur-
al state. Her growth. prosperity and
the increase of wealth of her citizens
depend very largely on the success
which We may be able to achieve in the
many different branches of agricultural
enterprise.
For a number of years our people
have given much consideration to the
growing of beets from which to manu-
facture sugar. Two great factories have
been established within her borders for
the manufacture Of sugar from the SUI
gar beet At no time since the estab-
lishment of either of these factories,
unless perhaps i'm 1894. on account of the
drought that season, has there been
any dearth i'm the production of sugar
beets ample to test the full capacity of
each of these factories during the sea-
son of operation. In fact, those operat-
ing these factories have been compelled
each season to refuse to contract for a
large acreage of sugar beets which the
farmers desired to produce, because Of
lack of capacity for caring for them.
Experience thus far has demonstrate
ed that We possess in this state the
soil. climate and all things else required
to grow this very useful plant as adj
vantageously as in any other portion
of the country. That we should make
the most profitable use of these favora-
BILE conditions. I think we are all In
entire accord. The experimental work
engaged in by a department in the
state university in determining the most
approved method of sugar beet cul-
ture, and in the dissemination of the
knowledge thus obtained, as well as
the analysis Of sample beets sent to the
university for that purpose, have great
ly assisted the practical sugar beet cul-
ture. The growing of sugar beets and
the manufacture of sugar therefrom in
this state may be said to have fairly
passed the stage of experiment and is
on firm footing. The acre
age which could profitably be cultivated
in this one crop alone is almost unlimit-
ed in extent. The establishment Of
thereby peryniffinp the