The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-02-03
ARE GETTING POSTED.
Solons Making Visits to the State
institutions.
LEGISLATURE CLOSES UP SHOP.

|
Adjournment Sees Another Important
Change In the Situation Relative to the
Question of Taxation Administration
Preparing to Fight the Dudley Bill to q
nish-Unique 'Bill Presented by Rep
rssentative Taziman.
Lansing, Mich, Jan. 31.-The Mich
igan legislature has shut up shop un-
| til next Tuesday, that is, so far as the
actual making and unmaking Of laws
Is concerned. and the members are Just
at present engaged in the equally. i'm
portant business Of familiarizing them
selves with the conditions and needs
OF the various state institutions SO that
they may be in position to vote in
telligently on bills concerning them.
When 1t Is reflected that not to ex-
coed one in ten Of the legislators have
these institutions the desirability Of
visit Of this kind will be the better
appreciated.
The visitors to the upper peninsula
are the ones who will have their eyes
opened the most. for scarcely any of
them have ever before travelled north Of
the Straits Of Mackinac. and the vast
resources and interests Of the state in
that territory has been closed book
to them. That section. of the state de-
mands great deal at the hands of the
legislators and the state can well af-
ford to have the latter reasonably well
posted, so that they will be able to
give these demands proper attention.
The Dudley Taxation Bill.
The adjournment of the legislature
last Friday saw another important
change in the situation relative to the
question of taxation in which all the
people of the state are so greatly in
terested. AS matter now stand the So
called INSTRUMENTATION tax bill has
been placed ahead of the Cheever-At-
kinson bill which is not to be reported
until Feb. 8. 1t was quick change
which landed the former measure on
the general order where it will have
precedence when that order is next
reached. The committee on general taxa
ton had been in possession Of the
measure but a very brief time, but
Chairman Dudley, who introduced the
bill, succeeded in having 1t reported
with the recommendation that 1t be
passed, and 10000 copies of 1t were or
dered printed for distribution through
out the state.
The administration Is already pre-
pairing to fight the Dudley bill to a fin
ish. This measure is an exact copy of
the bill introduced in the senate by
Senator Graham, and in view of the
prominence it has obtained and the fact
that 1t will form the basis of the fight
against the Cheever- Atkinson bill, it
is important that the people of the
state understand what it's provisions
are The friends Of the bill claim that
1t does all that will be accomplished
by the administration bill, and much
more. 1t provides for the assessment
and levy Of taxes upon the property
of railroad, express, telegraph and tel
ephone companies, and for the assess
ment, levy and collection Of taxes upon
the shares of stock in all other corpora
lions organized under the state, and
in banks organized under the laws of
the United States. The rate of taxa
ton provided is the same as in the
Cheever- Atkinson bill and the revenue
derived Is to be devoted to the same
purpose, going into the primary school
fund. The rate provided Is the average
rate Of taxation in the state. which Is
about 2.S per cent. The bill, which is
very voluminous, provides for a board
Of assessors to consist Of the secretary
of state, state treasurer, auditor gen.
eral and two to be elected.
Principal Changes Sought
In this 1t differs from the Cheever-
Atkinson bill, which provides for the
appointment of the two civilian asses
sors by the governor. The principal
changes sought are as follows:
1. All persons subject to assessment
must make a sworn statement of their
property on blanks to be furnished by
the board of assessors.
2. The exemptions are materially re-
duced, being, outside Of the exempt
tions of the property of religious and
charitable institutions. SIS for each
householder.
3. All other corporations than those
named in the Cheever-Atkinson are
taxed on the cash value of their shares
of stock, after deducting the value Of
the real estate, which is to be taxed as
other real estate.
4. The tax is payable in the county
In which the corporation Is located.
These are all the changes contem-
plated in the general tax law, and the
system of railroad taxation is the same
as provided in the Cheever-Atkinson
except only in the composition Of the
board of assessors.
The object of the bill Is declared by
its friends to be to put all the property
of the state on a basis for the purpose
of assessment. to get on the tax rolls
a large amount of property that now
escapes taxation altogether. and to give
the assessing board advisory control
of all assessing officers in the state SO
that the same minds that assess the
value of the corporations named in the
Cheever-Atkinson bill may supervise
the assessment of all other property
in the state upon which the rate OF
taxation provided for Is computed The
state board, it will be observed from
the above, is charged with the duty Of
exercising advisory control over all as
sessing officers in the state, and Of
seeing that the assessment laws are