The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-01-03
STATEHOOD QUESTION.
The matter Of Ts1es In oklshons Con.
pared with That In. Texas and AR
ksnsss-Faet snd Figures.
To The Ardmoreite.

ton and should be discussed in a
business way.
One objection have heard urged
against union Is that taxes are high
in Oklahoma and too great burden
would be imposed upon us. AS q
rule, those who urge this objection,
if asked what the tax rate is, will
tell you that in Perry, Guthrie or
some other city it is so and so. If
you ask them what the terri. orial tax
rate is they cannot tell.
Now, every one knows that ali cit
les have certain powers and included
in those powers are those of enacting
ordinances and laying taxes. But
these city taxes are only paid by
those who reside or own property in
the city. Also that counties lave
the power of levying and collecting
certain taxes for roads. bridges, etc.,
but none except those who reside or
own property in the county have to
pay these taxes, and it is the same
in school communities or districts.
This is true both in territories and in
states.
Tarraut county, Texas, has recent
ly built very fine court house in
Fort Worth and has issued bonds to
the amount of S41O, 900 in order to do
so, and these bonds must be paid by
taxation. But everyone knows, who
knows anything, that only those who
live in Tarrant county or own prop
erty therein have to pay these taxes.
The state tax, however, is paid by
all who reside or own proper
| ty in the state. 1t is fixed by law
and is uniform; that is, the same
rate is paid in every county, city,
town and community in the state.
This is also true of the territorial
tax. some counties may, on ac-
count of their own extravaganza in
building court houses, Iails, bridges,
etc., have a high county tax, but an
adjoining county may have a low
tax rate, while the state or territorial
tax is just the same in both counties.
Therefore we are not interested in
what the taxes in Guthrie, Oklaho-
ma City or any other city or county
in Oklahoma are, but are interested,
in considering this question, in
knowing what the territorial tax
rate is.
Section 5625, page 1O46, of the
statutes of Oklahoma, published in
1898, reads as follows: 1.-THE rate
of the general territorial tax shall
not be less than one-half mill nor
more than three mills on the dollar
valuation, and one-half mill each
year for the erection and support of
territory Normal school, and one
half mill each year for the erection
and support of a territorial Univer-
sity. The rate for ordinary county
revenue, including the support of
the poor, not more than six mills on
the dollar; a road and bridge tax
not to exceed five mills. on the dollar.
To be paid in money for the county
sinking fund, such rate as in the es-
tim ition Of the county board viii
pay one years interest on all the
outstanding debts of the county with
ten per cent. on the principal. and
such other taxes as may be author
lied by law"
1t will be seen that this law fixes
the maximum territorial rate at four
mills on the dollar or forty cents on
the one hundred dollars worth of
property, and also limits the county
tax for general revenue purposes
and for roads and bridges to eleven
mills on the dollar or one and one
tenth cents, or one dollar and ten
cents on the one hundred dollars.
In Texas in 1879, with her magnifi-
cent public domain, the richest of
any state in the union, the state tax
was fifty cents on the one hundred
dollars or five mills on the dollar.
In Arkansas in 1884, the state tax
was six and one-half mills on the
dollar or sixty-five cents on the one
hundred dollars. And yet the peo-
pie from Texas and Arkansas are
the very ones who are making the
most noise about high taxes in Okla
homM
OF course everyone knows that
each county levies it's own county
taxes and the above law Axes a max
i lum beyond which it cannot 60. I
do not know whether this law has
been amended or in any wise chang
ed or not. but M taxable values have
largely increased in that territory
since 1898, it 10 not probable that
the rate has been increased, but IL it
hes changed ataall the probability is
that it has been lowered. The fact
remains that the territorial tx rate
in Oklahoma in 1898, with compare