The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-07-08

Thousands Of Dollars Heretofore Lost will be
Gathered In by Gen. Dix.

Gathered In by Gen. Dix.
The active agitation Of taxation
measures that failed 81 adoption has
left upon the popular mind the impress
sion that the legislature of 1899 accom-
plished little or nothing OF value in the
direction Of providing for the needs oi
the state. IL Is true says the State Re-
publican, that no new law for the taxa
tion of railroads was passed. Whether
this should have been done is a question
upon which thoughtful men differ widely
The problem il by no means easy Of
solution. To a large degree IL absorbed
popular attention and comparatively
little public thought was given To the
important amendments TO the general
tax law that were proposed.
While much consideration was given
10y Others 20 new sources OF revenue,
Auditor General Dix was pondering
over the millions OF dollars of uncol-
lected taxes that had been assessed
and for which lands in all parts Of the
state are held ON the records of his tie
partment. His first thought was given
To how these assets could be realized
upon. The state may be said to be
land poor. IL does not want the acres
II has bid in, but il does need the reve-
nue sought for in the assessment OF
these lands. Glen. Dix realized that
every dollar secured from delinquent
taxes wns just that much relief To- the
Taxpayers who provide the revenue
needed to support the state, counties.
townships. cities and villages, and To
maintain the grand institutions in
which every citizen of the state takes
pride. The first thing necessary was 10
extend the provisions Of the present
general tax law SO as To provide for the
distribution Of lands returned under the
earlier laws. The attention Of the ad-
ministration Of the auditor generals
department has been constantly given
To peIiecting the system provided Tor
by law. and il is not known that there
is any inyalidity in single county in
the sale from lie tax record of 1899.
but for every sale preceding that Of the
present year there are some counties
where the title acquired by the state
in delinquent lands is admittedly in
valid, while Tor some years the sales in
all counties are worthless. As a result
certain class OF owners refuse to pay
the taxes because they know the taxes
cannot convey valid title 10 land
which il holds under degrees or sales
that are invalid. IL waHevident to Gen.
Dix that collection of the delinquent
taxes for which lands had been bid to
the state under invalid sales could not
be accomplished until the auditor gen.
eral was given authority To protect the
state 10y the cancellation of these sales
and securing valid decrees under new
petitions The law has long given that
officer authority TO protect either own.
ers or individual buyers under similar
conditions. bat be was powerless To pro-
tect the state. The enactment oi Sec
tions 1873 and l3D has supplied the
requisite authority and hundreds OF
thousands 81 dollars Of taxes heretofore
uncollected will he realized as the result. |
The stoppage of the leakage Of revenue
through the delinquent lists was next
studied. The delay OF large tax payers
in their payment oi taNee Ia recent years
in believed Ia be largely due Ia two de- |
iects in the inadequate penalty and
the provisions under which the charge
Tor expenses did not accrue until the |
day fixed for Gal0. With the penalty |
reduced to s per cent per annum, tax
payer saw little reason for paying taxes |
while the state was willing To carry the
burden. In changing tho penalty TO ] |
per cent psr month, the legislature has
made il an object for land owners To
pay taxes and AVOID the loss oi the
difference between the statutory penalty
and the bankers interest charge. The
provision making the.chnIge for expenses
lien in Oct. preceding sale will save
the state the further loss OF the $l5 900
year which II has sustained from this
source alone siuce 1898, while il will bc
an added indncement 90 earlier pay.
ment, and the increase ia the charge will
help To make mp the deficiency occasion.
ed 10y carrying the delinquent lands.
Another cause Tor the large delin-
auent lists lay in the inefiectlyeness of
the law for the collection Of taxes on
non-rcsideut lnnds. Immense tracts
have contributed nothing because the
owners personal property waa not
within the same or an adjoining county
The amendment OF section AZ will make
il possible to collect these taxes in al
cases where the owner has personal
property anywhero in the state.
Collusige actions To avoid taxes will
hereafter he effectively checked by "a
new section providing that the auditor
general must be made ~ party defend
mt Ia all nctione In act nsid0 taxea mr.