The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-15

as clerk Of the board is the proper person
deputy"
The State Board of Tax Commissioners as
a body IS anxious that something be done
IN the way Of county ana township reform.
the long experience of members of the
board in the line Of taxation has taught
them that it IS almost useless to undertake
TO bring all of the taxable property within
the range Of the taxgatherer, task they
have industriously addressed themselves to,
so long as there is the fearful leak in coun-
ty and township administration. As Col. /.
n. Walker, of the board expresses it, We
Rave found ourselves in the attitude of try
ing to save at the spigot while the bung hole
remains OPEN We have been skrmishing
ana scurrylng, trying to get all OF the prop
erty on the tax duplicates, ana While we
have been using all Of our wits and energies
III that direction and to that end the fearful
waste In administration has gone on, 1t is
not very encouraging to members or the
board, certainly.
The tax levies in local county and town
snip government are as high or higher to-
! day, when the value of the property of the
! state IS 81, 800, 10000, than when the total
| value was $S110oo000. 1t does not seem to be
OF much use Tor thegi State Board OF lax
Commissioners to seek to increase the tax
duplicates If the commissioners and trustees
constantly raise the tax levies to spend the
| increasing funds.
"On this subject / would like to refer you
to our report to this Legislature in which
we say: Notwithstanding the Increase in
assessments Of property for purposes of tax
alton, county and township leVles nave not
ceen eorrespondingly reduced as they should
be. The board suggests that further legis-
lative restrictions be thrown around local
officials to the end that only such taxes be
levied and collected as may be required for
an honest and economical administration of
the public business That is certainly IS
strong a statement as could be made and
IT comes as the unanimous sentiment OF the
Ex-Attorney General Ketcham said: II
am certainly most heartily in sympathy with
the reform movement. Some good men have
done some good work on the bills now be-
fore the Legislature. The administration of
the township trustees office in good many
counties is honey-combed with fraud. 1t is
there that the great leak of public funds
occurs
county, says: II shall vote for the reform
bills, because the principle they embody is
step in the right direction"
Representative Scott, of Montgomery
county a well-known banker. was in
weighed into a meeting of trustees of his
county when he went home few days ago.
demand for the bills, but he informed them
that the people of the State are demand
ing them. de says he will vote for both
the township and county bills, not that his
county is suffering from bad management
IN either respect, but there are instances
where great abuses are being wrought, Mr..
Scott says.
4 know, said Mr.. Scott. "of one trustee
OF whom 1t is said on seemingly the best
or authority that he will not enter into
contract unless at least a 25 per cert. rake
off is assured him. Another trustee I have
IN mind is wholly and utterly incompetent.
l want the reform law because l believe the
powers of such men should be hedged in"
Representative John F. Compton, of Yer
million county has received a letter from
ex-State Senator Kerns of his county, in
which the latter says that the people of his
part OF the state are strongly in favor of re-
FORM and ne is satisfied that if the members
OF the Legislature from that section do not
vote for the reform bills the people will
eject others who vii two years hence. Mr..
compton Is glad his people favor the bills,
as he is great champion of them.