The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-10-17
TAXING CORPORATIONS.
Escord o. Republican Party In
the Last Ten Years.
MILLIONS ADDED TO REVENUES.

The RssahBesa Party the Only Party
Thai Has Set Gut Compel Corpor.-
sions to PAY Fair License Taxes Fer
the Privilege. Irey Krjoy.
In the years that Mr.. John r. Nc
Lean has been living in Washington
amsssing q fortune by political ma
nipulations. failure to pay taxes on his
vast holdings Of personal property and
similar means, the Republican party in
Ohio has been working to relieve the
burdens OF the people by enacting laws
that compel the corporations to pay
fairer share Of the burdens of govern
ment.
When Mckinley succeeded Campbell
as governor of Ohio, January, 1892, the
state of Ohio was virtually bankrupt
Today it has money in the treasury
and is in q position where. with con-
tinued Republican administration, the
state levy for taxation can shortly be
reduced.
Hon. Emmett Tompkins, q former
member of the legislature and lead
ing lawyer of Cilumbus, has prepared
a statement of what has been done by
the Republican party in compelling
corporations to pay their fair share OF
ho 10 1f II t. h,~ -
proof that the Republican party can al
ways be depended upon to protect the
people and deaN justly, no matter
| whether it is a big corporation or q
private individual that is affected. Mr..
Tompkins says:
Prior to 1889 the fee for fling arti-
cles Of incorporation with the secre-
tary of state was merely nominal, and,
ct the best, yielded $4,000 per year to
the state. In that year q Republican
Legislature raised this fee to one-tenth
Of one per cent. of the capital stock of
the corporation whose articles were
filed. This act was afterwards amend
ed SO as to include corporations organ
ized under the laws Of other states
which came into this state to do bus
fness, they being required to pay the
came fee as though they had been or
ganized here. Under this original act
and its amendment the secretary Of
state has collected from stock corpora
tions and paid into the state treasury
since the 18th Of February, 1889, and
up to September 20, 1899, the sum OF
81, ,433,2 ,23s.S8. All this for the mere
pr,-:lege of beginning to do corporate
! business in this state.
For many years premium Insurance.
companies enjoyed free trade in this
state. Not SO now. Tho insurance de-
partment costs the state about $18, ,00C
!: per year. 1t is now the most profita-
ble department of our local govern
ment- Under Republican legislation II
has collected and paid into the state
/ treasury, beginning with the year 1889
the sum ct ss19, 1888, or an average o1
$s1, ,961.SS for each year, and the aver.
age is increasing steadily. For the
! year 1898 the collection was $131, AL. .48
But in addition to this large sum thest
companies pay to the different coun
ties Of the state about $325, 900, tn,
amount for each county being proper
toned to the business done therein.
"In 1894 Republican legislature i'm
posed tax upon express. telephon,
: and telegraph companies. Under thi
law the state board of assessors an
nually appraise the property Of sucl
companies, which valuation is distrib
!, uted among the different counties, un
, der fixed rule, there to be taxed q
), local property. The total valuation O
= the property of these classes Of corpo
rations for taxation in Ohio for 81,
:. years Just closed amounts to $34,349.
4 1900. The average rate Of taxatio,
Throughout the state Is two and one
d half per cent. Therefore, these com
8 panies have paid, or will have paid be
n fore anuary next, into the publ
s treasury sS5S, 1882.
: ''In 1895 a Republican legislature lev
o led tax upon sleeping car companie.
l. and under this law this class of com
# panies has paid into the state treasur
r t17,5SS.5s.
IS I'm 1896 Republican legislator
l. again called on corporations for
10 fuller measure Of taxation, and it pas.
er ed law imposing what is known q
an excise tax, and under this law tl
state has realized as follows:
Electric Light Companies,s s4,45S.t
h