Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-28

!. Iowa had been assessed upon the sam
basis among themselves, a different con
test would have been waged in the las
republican convention in this state. AS
sess all property equally and there vii
be no cause for complaint. There SHOULD
be no grounds for saying that the yalu
of railroad property in Iowa can not b.
ascertained as easily as that of tow
and farm property. The spectacle of TIL
!, members of the executive council o
Iowa. considering for weeks the railroad
assessments, and the calling of meet
ings in other places than the capito
building, are still fresh in the minds O
the people. What promise is now mad
4 that the conflict over the assessments o
certain railroads will not be repeated
4 Tf Thu. fact, that MI personal property
is not listed, Is an excuse for suffering
railroads and other property to es-
slcapa taxation, then means should be
devised for discovering all the personal
property Of the state. To do this
stringent laws, severe in their nature
will hive to be passed. II evidence
could not be given in the courts in
suits regarding personal property
which has not been listed for taxation
except suits regarding taxation, where
the owner thereof Is n party to the suit
more personal property might be listed
and assessed. Thus protection of law to
properly not listed would be Withdrawn
and the owner would not dare secrete
his pre- perry Again. IL the assessment
of the Individual taxpayer should be
accepted as the conclusive amount of
his wealth and the securing of the
credit of purchase of property on the
claim of any greater amount of prop
erty than that listed for taxation be
brought within the criminal laws of
the state, another incentive would ex-
list for the listing of personal property.
The voluntary statement of any citizen
to any commercial agency, bank or
other person, for the purpose of securing
commercial or business rating, mex
cess of his property listed. should be
prohibited and no commercial or other
reporting agency should be allowed to
give any tax payer greater financial
standing than that shown by the as
SCISSORS books. The concealment OF
any taxable property should be consid-
cred and made a criminal offense.
However, the listing or non-listing of
personal property should not afford a
person whose duty 1t is to list ana
value property, an excuse for not prop
|erly assessing and taxing all property
which may be listed. 10 say that It
-s,...Ati1 IL -14nlnrah BILE nd - u sda.as
should not by any means countenance
this excuse, which many taxpayers
have. for easing their consciences
when withholding property from taxa
ton. Penalties for a failure to list
property should be visited upon the Of
fender but without being subject to
blackinaii thru the informer who might
profit by Withholding or giving infor-
nation in regard to taxable property.
Spies and informers are not and will
never be creatures OF the democratic
party. Candidate should deal specific
ally with this question OF taxation and
when they do not. the voter In selecting
his candidate should look at the influ-,
ence with which and the circumstances
under which he was nominated.
No one should be elected to public
Office who expects to use his official
position and thereby mike political
for the furtherance of
his political ambition.
Il
feareti. He will not hesitate to perform
corporations. who have and will use
illegitfmate means to advance their po-.
iitical fayorites.
The present method Of regulating the
sale Of Intoxicating liquors in Iowa is
one which Is not based upon any prln-
ciple whatever. 1t Is a makeshtft. II
was devised by the republican party for
the purpose Of catching the vote both OF
the rrohibitionist and the saloon-keep-
err. They ask the saloon keeper and the
church member to stand by and support
the nluict law. 1t attempts to bring to-
gethsr as co-workers in the political
vine, ard the minister Of the gospel and
the dealer in intoxicating liquors 1t is
satisfactory to neither one. 1t can not
be supported upon principle. and the
stultifies himself When he
gives his approval to the same. The
dealer in liquor under the mulct law Is
among the people for signatures to petit
tons of consent when he should not be,
either for the good of himself and the
community. The question should be
submitted to the voters under the pres
ent ballot law. The basis of government
is the will of the majority and no differ
ent rule should be applied to the traffic
in this business. A local option high IL
cense law should be enacted whereby
each community acting in the same
manner as they do In other political
matters, could express binding prefer
ence by a majority of its voters as to
whether such community should permit
the sale of liquors therein. There should
be restrictions and regulations SO that
when any community permits the sale
of liquor, the conducting of such busi-
nes., could not be offensive to the nil
nority. Upon this question the party
which represent and the republican
party are divided by distinct lines. A
democratic legislature will pass a local
option law and a democratic governor
would sign the same. What will a re-
publican legislature or republican
governor do?
To withhold the right to manufacture
lin The state goods and articles of trade
which are allowed to be sold in the state
| is to be condemned in the strongest Ian
guage possible. Why allow liquors to
| be sold, even under the mulct law, and
compel the purchase OF liquors from
manufacturers in other states? Can our
REPUBLICAN friends justify this course!
Thu. refusal to permit the manufacture
Iof liquors in Iowa Is even more hypo-
lcri1ical than the mulct law. The fear oil
the vote Of the prohibitionists restrains
lrerublican candidates from declaring