The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-16
TAX COMMISSION MEETS
OATH Is ADMINISTERED TO MEM
BEERS, AND 1T WILL ORGAN
IZE TUESDAY
CH1LDs WILL BE CHAIRMAN
State Auditor Dunn Discusses the
Probability of a Permanent Com
mission and Heartily In
dOrses the Idea.

The tax commission, composed Of III.
w Childs, w. J. Hahn and Gideon s.
Ives, recently appointed, met at the state
house yesterday morning with Gov. Van
SAINT, State Auditor Dunn and Attorney
General Ives, and made preparations for
the first meeting, at which the work of
the commission will be mapped out The
three members of the commission first
subscribed to the oath of office and then
received their appointments stamped with
the official seal of the state. 1t was
then decided to hold the first meeting of
the commission at Mr.. Childs' office Tues
day, when the chairman of the commits
sion will be selected and the real work
begun. Mr.. Childs will undoubtedly be
chairman.
State Auditor Dunn said yesterday that
the future work Of the commission was
discussed at considerable length at the
meeting in the state house. The tax
systems in New York, Massachusetts and
Illinois will be given particular attention,
in view of the fact that these states have
permanent tax commissions. Strange to
say, 1t has not been matter of general
notice that the bill providing for the tax
commission just appointed gives the pres
ent commission the opportunity for the
recommendation of permanent commits
sion in the law to be drawn up and
presented to the legislature. This, accord
ing to the statements of Auditor Dunn,
is something of great Importance Fol
lowing is a clipping from the Daily Min
ing Journal, of Michigan, In support of
his views:
up to date the state tax commission
has had some $500 600, 600 of taxable prop
erty that has heretofore escaped the
notice of the assessors, placed on the tax
rolls In Michigan, and 1t isn't through
with it's work yet. The commission is not
making itself at ali popular with owners
Of property that has hitherto been under
valued for the purposes of taxation, but
it is doing work that there was, urgent
need of having done There has been al
together too much tax lodging in Michi-
gan for the good of the state, and if the
commission brings the dodgers to time
the bulk of the people will be the gamers
thereby
The tax laws of Michigan and Wiscon-
sin will also be examined closely, but the
states mentioned above will receive the
major portion of attention
If permanent tax commission is ultf-
mately appointed in this state its duties
will in large measure be similar to the
duties of the state board of equalization
and the need for that board will be les
Sened. This is also something that has
escaped general notice. According to
statements made by Auditor Dunn yes
terday, it would not be surprising If it
should be found necessary to do away
with the equalization board entirely The
powers of the present board are limited.
though not as much as before the act
of 1897 Then 1t was necessary to raise
assessments in whole district in order
to raise individual assessments. Though
that is not necessary now, the work of
the board takes much time, and # only
has about month to do it IN. There are
thousands of assessments to be looked
after and such a board has no sources of
information, the individual members gen
orally do the bidding of those who know
the most.