The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-14

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Springfield. Ill. Oct. 13.-Most of the IL
lnois railroads have expressed desire 10
pay just share OF the burdens of govern
ment, but compared with Missouri. they
are getting off pretty easy. The figures
above are from the report OF the ILLINOIS,
State Board of Equalization for 1900. and
from the Missouri Beard for the same year
The revenue act of the special session OF
the Legislature in 1878 worked many re-
ferns in the manner and form of fixing
values and uncoverins hidden property in
counties and municipalities. But II dit.
rot reach the head of the varmint of taa
shirkers-,he State Board of Equalization:
The Chicago teachers. led by Miss Hale
and Miss Goggin. last winter obtained froi.
Judge Owen p. Thompson Of the Sangamon
Circuit Court mandamus. compelling the
State Board to assess for taxation some
S2Icc0.GO OF corporate wealth in Cook
County. This did not include railroad prop
erty.
Wherein Two Boards Differ.
The radical difference between Illinois and
Missouri in the methods of assessing cor
porations lies in the composition of the Two
State Boards of Equalization, and Missouri's $
system is far superior to that OF Illinois
In Missouri the State board consists CT
Governor. Secretary of State. Attorney Gem
eral, State Auditor and State Treasurer. In
received S200. janitor $50 and a notary
public s., while $50 was spent for postage
Total expenses of the Missouri State Board
OF Equalization for seventy-two days serv-
Ice. s2.eoo Comparing their work with that
of 1llinois's board. the conclusion is mani
fest that they earned every cent they got.
1llinofss State Board of EQUALIZATION is
elected by the peope-one member from
each congressional district at every presi-
DENTAL election. They receive the same per
diem as Missouri pays. IS. The Legisla-
ture appropriates $4,000 for each session,
and there Is seldom anything left when
adjournment takes place. While the people
elect these members to eQualize assess
ments between counties. and to originally
assess railroad property and the capital
stock Of corporations other than railroads,
there is some doubt in the minds of "A ma
1ority of the people whether the State board
Is not serving the corporations by protect
ing them from their lawful share of taxes.
II Is true that the people elect the board.
but the railroads and corporations are ex-
ceedingly active in the nominating conven-
uons: and really name a majority of the
members. 1t makes no difference which
ticket he Is on. the member is either owned
by the corporation or is not permitted to
have a voice in the actual work of the
bers on two committees. viz: On assess
ment of capital stock other than railroads
and on assessment of railroad property.
"Outsiders" Are Entirely Helpless.
committees includes a two-thirds majority
of the board not counting the State Audi
tor. who Is a member of no committee. and
merely presides for a minute or two while
the board is in session Two-thirds can
suspend any rule Of the board.
But the worst feature of the committee
organization as 1t is now constituted is
that the fourteen members who constitute
the two principal committees. also form a
majority on the other committees. except
on General Equalization. which is a super
fluous and worthless body. charged with the
duty Of spreading the additions and de-
ductions of the other committees in each
county. Tho State Auditor would do this.
and as a matter Of fact does do 1t, the
clerical force in the Auditors office does
do 1t, the Committee on General Equaliza-
tion merely signing their names to a report
already arranged by the clerks.
The Committee on Personal Property is
made up OF four from the two principal
committees and three outsiders" The
same condition exists in the committees
on Lands and on Lots. Should any Of the