Hutchinson gazette., 1901-10-31

Taxation Prospects for Wide
spread Reform,
The fight which Mayor Tom John
son, the Popuist mayor Of Cleveland,
has been making before the State
Board OF Equalization in Ohio, Is not
with the expectation OF obtaining Inn
mediate relief for the people from the
undervaluntlon Of railroads and other
corporation property, but to bring the
matter to tho attention Of the people
OF the state 10 that the unjust and in
iQuitous system may be changed by
the force of public opinion acting on
'he Legislature,
Mr., johnson had employed cxperts
who had carefully prepared the evil
dence OF the undervahation and had
presented these facts to the County
Auditors who act before the state
Board takes up the matter, When no
appeared before the State Board he
SAID: HE dismissed constitutional
questions by referring them to the law
yers, but he was there to complain be-
cause the Board Of County Auditors
have failed In the performance Of their
sworn duties and thereby robbed not
only the counties In which they are
located the large cities but those In
which our rural brethren live as well,
Perhaps the County Auditors didn't
know any better" interrupted the At
torney-General, jocosely, and Mayor
Johnson took advantage Of the inter-
ruption to retort:
Perhaps they didn't, but those who
met at Cleveland could not offer such
an excuse. We told them better and
we didn't ask them to take our WORD
for II, either We asked them TO call
In the railroad officials and demand
their books and see for themselves,
and we ask this board to do the same,
We do not ask you to accept our state
ment alone We have pointed out the
facts and have told you how you can
find them for yourselves, | think the
Board Of County Auditors are COM
posed very much like other public
bodies. Some Of the men arc honest
some are fools and rascals. do not
know Of n public body that is consti-
tuted otherwise, from the Senate Of the
United States down"
The Cleveland mayor then went on
to outline the obstacles that taxing Of
Hcials, for the protection Of railroad
interest were throwing In the way not
merely OF equitable but Of legal taxa
tion.
when at Cleveland before the eight
Boards of Auditors we asked them to
appraise the railroads at 60 per cent
Of their true value In money, they said
TO us; why do you ask us to do that
when the other railroads in the state
are not assessed that way? Why do
you not go before the State Board at
Columbus and ask 1t to assess all roads
alike? | answered them; Gentlemen,
/ recognize the merit Of your claim
that all railroad property should be
assessed On the same basis and In
tend to 20 before the State Board and
demand that It be done, But what /
ask OF you Is that you do your duty
and assess the roads now before you at
60 per cent Of their true value.
Now, suppose this board refuses to
aquali2e these appraisements by as
sesslng all the roads at 60 per cent OF
their true value in money, what rem
edy have the people? None, II you
do not do your duty there is no higher
body to which the people can appeal,
But that is not true Of the railroads,
II you exceed your powers by the frac-
ton of an inch the railroads will at
once appeal to the courts and have 1t
corrected. The Supreme Court will
undo any illegal act that you may do,
But II will not undo any legal act
which you should have done. / do not
know what you will do, but ! do know
that there will come time when the
people will find way Of making the
great steam railroad and other corpo-
ratlons pay their just share Of the bur-
den of taxation"
All this Is especially interesting be-
cause nearly every state is suffering
from the same undervaluatlon of cor
porate property where other men are
needed with the force and unselhsh-
ness Of Tom Johnson to see that the
householder and the farmer shall not
pay more than their fair share Of the
burden OF taxation.
ABSTRACT QUESTIONS?