The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-21
MARTIN To KEEP PLACE
HE WILL BE REAPPOINTED STATE
TAX COMMISSIONER.
Governor Mount Gave Him Remainder
of Judge Buskirk's Term
Last Hearings.

1T statement was mdQt dutlOGlldllNtly
in the Statehouse yesterday that Parks
NJ. Martin. chairman OF the Democratic
state central committee. will be appointed
TO succeed himself as a member of the
Indiana State Board OF Tax Commission
ers. This bit of news was almost the sole
topic of discussion among state officials
| yesterday, and the consensus Of opinion
seemed to be that the selection of Mr..
Martin TO serve a full term will be wise.
Mr.. Martin was appointed, last winter,
to fill the unexpired portion of the term of
Thomas b. Buskirk. who resigned his po-
sition as tax commissioner TO make the
race for circuit judge in his district. The
day following the presidential election
Governor Mount called up the headquar-
tiers of the Democratic state central COM
mittee and upon being told that the chair
man parks NJ. MARTINI was at the other
end of the line, proceeded TO tender the tax
commissionership TO him. The chairman
| was. it is said. quite overcome with aston
ishment at receiving the offer, when he
had no thought of any such thing and told
the Governor he would call at the State
| house and talk the matter over with him.
| After a consultation with Governor Mount,
Mr.. Martin decided to accept the place.
| The term for which he was appointed at
that time expired the 1st of May. the pres
| ent year, but Governor Durbin did not
take any steps toward making an appoint
ment for the new term and, accordingly.
| Mr.. Martin has been holding the position
under the provision of his commission re-
citing that he shall hold office until his
successor shall nave been appointed and
qualified
At the time Governor Mount gave the
tax commissionership to Mr.. Martin there
was a great deal of m some of
which was from Democratic politicians
and newspapers and of a decidedly unfa-
vorable character. Many of the politicians
intimated that Mr.. Martin had lone an I'M
wise thing in thus seemingly allying him
self with the Republicans so soon after the
termination of a losing campaign. 1t was
said that he was only trying to feather his
nest" Secretary Hawkins, of the Demo-
cratic state committee, who was at head
quarters when Chairman Martin received
the tender of the position from Governor
Mount by telephone, has always main
tanned, however, that there was no deal or
suspicion of a deal about the transaction,
but that 1t was perfectly honorable and
above board. State officials, who have been
in a position TO judge OF Mr.. Martin, $
work as a tax commissioner, do not hest
tate to say that he has been a capable and
efficient officer. They assert that ii would
be a difficult matter to find a man better
Ill AAdh MI VIC III ~ III AK OSA
ton.
PLEAS MADE YESTERDAY.
The board would not have had any ap-
peals to hear to-day If r. T. Gottschalk,
| secretary of the Columbus Electric Light
and Street-railway Company, had fur
nished the kind of a financial statement
concerning his company that the board
wanted. Mr.. Gottschalk's statement was
not so complete as the tax board thought
it should be, and Governor Durbin, chair
man OF the board, ordered the hearing
postponed until 2 o'clock this afternoon in
order 10 give the secretary of the COM
pany time in which to amend the state
ment.
Hugh Dougherty. a well-known banker
and politician of Button, appeared before
the tax board yesterday, asking that the
assessment of $50 a mile placed on the
United Telephone Company's wires be re-
duced to $50.
The indianapolis Union Railway Company
and the Belt Railroad were represented
by Edward Daniels, a local attorney, with
whom were j. q. Van Wrinkle. of the Big
Four, and V. T. Malott. of the Nandaiia.
The request was made and urged that the
Union Railway Company's assessment be
reduced by $4,000. and that a considerable
reduction be also made in the assessment
of the Belt. Mr.. Daniels declared the tax
board has no power 10 assess anything but
the tangible property of these companies.
George j. Marott. of this city, owner Of
the IOBanSpOrt Street-rallWdy said that
when the interurbans come into Logans-
port his property will be fit only for junk,
and therefore the assessment ought to be
cut down materially.
The board heard a number of other ap-
peals of the usual character. Speaking OF
the general tenor of arguments made by
representatives of corporations before the
tax board. a member of that taxing tribu-
nal remarked last night: "lf / were UNI
sophisticated / would expect. after sitting
through this session, 10 find that all the
corporations had passed out of existence
by next summer. 1t is very queer to listen
10 these hard-luck stories of corporation
attorneys and officials year in and year
out, and then TO observe that men continue
10 remain in ventures that, according TO
their own statements are losing money all
the time. You would think that they would
get off these sinking ships, but they cling
to them with a death grip"
The dullness of the day yesterday was
broker at the noon hour by Tax Commits
sioner Parks NJ. Martin extending a cor
dial invitation TO his brother officials and
to Deputy Attorney General Moores to be-
come his guests at dinner at the Grand
Hotel. The dinner party was made up of
Governor Durbin. Secretary of State Hunt,
State Auditor Hart, Tax COMMISSIONS
Wingate, Deputy Attorney General Moores
and the host, Tax Commissioner Martin.
Ii was announced yesterday that Mr.. Mar
tin will furnish the watermelons for the
tax boards closing feast.