The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-08
ASSESSORS ARE HERE
DISCUSSING ALL MATTERS THAT RE-
LATE TO TAXATION.
The Annual Conference with the state
Tax CommissiOners-Interest-
ing Papers Are Read.

The conference convention OF the State
Board of Tax Commissioners and the
county assessors of the State was begun
In the House OF Representatives yesterday
morning. There was a large attendance,
assessors being present from nearly every
county in the State. The purpose of the
convention is to discuss all questions re-
lating to the duties of the assessors in or
der that they may have a better under
standing Of them.
The convention was called TO order by
Governor Mount, who paid it a compliment
because of the large attendance present.
A motion was then made by Auditor of
State Hart that Governor Mount, who is
president Of the State Board OF Tax Com
missioners. be made permanent chairman,
and Frank Martin. deputy auditor of
State. be made permanent secretary. The
motion carried unanimously. The conven-
ton was then addressed by Governor
Mount, who spoke Of the purpose of the
convention, saying to the assessors that
1t contemplated a broader understanding
of their duties and a better knowledge OF
the law by which they were to be governed.
The Governor said that in the enforcement
OF their duties the, assessors should make
no discrimination, but should do their whole
duty without fear or favor. At the con-
clusion Of the Governors address a paper
on 'Sequestered Property" was read by NJ.
". Walsh, township assessor of Fort
Wayne. He said that there could only
be equal taxation when God made all men
honest. He said there was a lot Of gilt
edged property. such as State and county
bonds, city bonds of all kinds, notes unse-
cured by mortgages. ETC., that never were
exposed to the eye Of the assessor. At the
suggested that a legislative committee be
appointed and on motion such a committee,
which will submit a bill to the next Legfs-
lature on questions relating to the assess
ment OF property, was appointed.
Mr.. wINGATE'S PAPER.
The afternoon session was begun with the
paper Of John c. Wingate. one of the tax
commissioners, on Building and Loan As
sociations: Pipe Lines" He said the build
ing and loan associations should be as
sessed on the true cash value of their stock
and upon nothing else. AS to the pipe line
companies, he declared that their pipe lines
should be assessed and taxed as pipe lines
and not as pipes or junk. He said that the
uses and urposes to which the pipes were
put should always be matters of considera-
ton. Said he: Until recently we have
not been able to define closely the manner
of listing building and loan property. Our
first law xempte building and lYan stock
from taxation, and then we were author
lied to list the property of the association
to the association. Next an amendment
provided for the assessment of the stock
of the association to the holders of the
stock, and the law now is, as construed by
the Supreme Court. that no property shall
be listed to the association for taxation.
All stock of the association. whether paid
up, prepaid or running stock shall be listed
to the holder thereof at It's true cash value.
All the stock upon which a loan has been
made to its full face value has been with
drawn by the terms OF the loan, and its
value as stock has been destroyed. 1t Is,
therefore, not to be listed for taxation"
In discussing the question after the con-
clusion OF the reading OF the paper by Mr..
Wingate. MI. Koerner. auditor of Du Bots
r%emarking that he objected to Indianapolis
building and loan companies doing business
two hundred miles away from home. He
said he believed the most of them were
township assessors, saying they were of
no account, and that few Of them knew
the meaning or value of their oath, and
seldom carried 1t out.
A MISREPRESENTATION
Union b. Hunt, secretary of state. was
to have read a paper on Banks and Trust
Companies but owing to the illness of a
sister. I'm Kansas, was unavoidably absent.
The discussion Of this paper was to have
been led by c.. d. Sisson. assessor Of Full
ton county. The discussion Of Mr.. Sisson
was substituted for the paper of Mr.. Hunt.
He seemed to have the impression that the
trust companies Of the subject meant
trusts and combines in general. He spoke
very vigorously against such corporations
saying that the property OF the various
companies composing them should be fully
taxed. "The assessor should handle this
matter with ungloved hands, said he.
land If. by any means, he can succeed in
taxing these institutions to death or out
of existence 1 have no doubt that people
would rise up and call him blessed for
having accomplished that which our law
makers in both State and Nation have
failed to do"
The last paper of the afternoon was read
by Attorney General w. l.. Taylor on Eek
emptions and Deductions The paper
treated of the exemptions of the taxpayers
under the present law. n was highly in
structive to the assessors. In conclusion
he said: You are not legislators; you are
administrators. 1t Is your business 10 ad-
minister the law as you find 1t. and not
complain of it because Ii isn't different.
Too frequently officers find fault with the
laws. and then the tinkering begins. In
diana is especially favored with good laws.
Let us not grumble. Certainly no State in
the Union, all in all, has as perfect a sys-
tenn of township. county and state govern
ment as has the State of Indiana. i be-
lieve there is less tax lodging in Indiana
than in any State in the Union. People in
Indiana are generally assessed for as much
as they ought TO be, and after the money
has been collected, / believe. under the
county and township reform Jaws it will
be more economically managed than are
the finances of any other State in the
Union, without any exceptions. The In
diana law Is being copied by more States
than the tax law of any other State in
the Union. l am for the State of Indiana,
and Indiana laws against those OF any
other State. For the last two years l have
been studying and comparing the laws OF
Indiana with the laws OF other States, and
l make bold TO say that we not only can
invite & comparison of the laws, but chal-
lenge all corners in the general enactment
thereof"
When Mr.. Taylor had concluded he was
warmly applauded. and the convention
then adjourned until 10 o'clock this morn
ing.