Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-01-17
HeGSA
G&bl ANCNG TINE !
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co-ezeate1ce q ~ LeSEe
JEFFERSON CRY. Jan lS-l an
glad 10 he abe 10 2y that Audrains
Representative has taken agSod stand
in the House Courteous in de-
meanor and pleasing in manner, be
makes = pleasant ~impneSsioa upon all
who meet him The fact that his at
tentian IS directed 70 matters Of
Hunent 10 the people, rather than 20.
matters 81 minor importance and
demagogic nature, has attracted
the attention a many o. the older
members and the idea prevails that
Mr.. Clay Is a young man a good
ability and me Promis. as be is in
deed. Though he was not . supporter
Of Mr.. Nhiteoottan for the Speaker
ship be was placed on -four commit
tees-JDdieiary, Railroads, Private
Corporations and Ehrulled Bills-the
three hS;-named being among the
most important in the House. In the
opinion Of many be has opened the
way for the discussion Of a very i'm
portant question by introducing a
Joint concurrent resolution to amend
the state Constitution 50 as TO allow
all State taxes 10 be collected from
corporations oorpolate property, fran
ehises, etc. and all county taxes from
Land and personality.
II is said 10 b a fact that in Mis-
souri, there IS enough corporate prop
erty, franchises etc. which, If taxed
at a fair rate on a fair assessment,
would bring enough revenue % pay
the whole expense bill Of the State II
the proposed change should be made,
land and personality would be taxed
for county and city purposes only, and
each county aud city would regulate
that tax 10 suit itself.
If I mistake not Georgia, some
twenty years ago raised all her eve-
nue. for state purposes from a tar On
corporations and the rate was not
high to raise sufficient revenue.
The trouble about framing a fran
chise-taxing law, under the present
Constitution, is to make it Constitu-
tionaL II Mr.. Gays idea prevails
then the Constitution viii be changed
So as 10 set apart all corporate prop
erty. franchises etc, for State taxa
tion and all lands and personally for
county and city and school district
taxation. All corporate property,
frznchiseS etc, win be exempt from
Ideal TAXATION, and all lands and per
sonzlty will be exempt from State
taxation. Then the rule governing
the valuation Of property for taxation
as well as the rate Of taxation for
State purposes would. OF course, be
uniform, bat need not be, indeed,
could not be uniform, with the rule
and rate governing assessment and
taxation for county and city purposes
Each county would asses and tax It's
land and personal property for county
purposes 10 suit itself. When the
state needs more revenue 10 build an
asylum, etc, a small raise Of the tar
on corporations and franchises would
bring il, and the plain people Of
the country would not be taxed at all
for that purpose. The corporations
can stand a tax which realty and per.
soualty can't stand, but as the Con,
~stituti0n now is the same rate Of tax
alton must be placed upon all the
property Of the State to raise the
State revenue.
The discussion Of Mr.. Gays res0lu-
ton win no doubt be instructive and
exhaustive. There are some who con.
tend that an amendment OF the State
Constitution is not necessary-thai
the proposed system OF taxation ear
be adopted under the present Consti
tuition. II 50, 50 much the better
Judge F. n. Judson, Of St Louis, ar
able lawyer and regarded as higt
authority On all matters Of taxation
does not believe that q Constitutions.
amendment is needed; but Others dc
not concur in that opinion.
1t is a fact that under the present
system Of taxation, claimed 10 be AMI
boasted Of as equal, just and uniform
great inequalities exist as between
counties and sections Of the State. s
glaTing did these inequalities become
that ii vas necessary to have a STATE
Board Of Equalization for the purpose
Of bringing about the equality anC
uniformity 50 much desired
Under the operation OF Mr.. Gays
proposed plan Of taxation, there vii
be no work for a State Board Of
Equalization, and it viii pass out, and
inequality could then exist only a
between individuals in the same coun.
ty. which could be rectided by the
county courts as a county Board Of
Equalization. This plan would Civ.
counties g chance to make road and
bridge Improvements they cannot nos
have 10 the extent desired.
There is a determination to enact !
Misunderstanding Law at this session.
and quite a number Of bills have
already been introduced for that pur.
pose. There are some who contend
that there is nov SUFFICIENT law
Statutory and ConstltutiOnal-to war.
rant the TAXATION Of franchises Bat
II they taxed these franchises thC
owners wo1ld appeal to the courts,
eontending that the tar was levied
without law or gospel
Judging from the number Of road
bills introduced, the rad law Of the
last Legislature is very unpopular.
Road laws, like dog laws, viii divide
a community into warning factions
'quickertfan lightning
About one hundred bills have been
introduced and properly referred, and
as sOOn a. printed, / viii look int
them and give your readers an idea Of
how legislation is drifting. As jet,
but little has been done; in fact moth,
ing can Be done until the committees
are appointed and organized, which
has Just been done. During the pres
ent week the real work will begin
and the disposition seems 70 b. 10 pc;