Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-18
FOR RURAL READERS
The Attorney Generals Late Dc.
cision on Notes Securing
Farm Rentals.
Farmers Mutual Lumber Yards.
Hardin County Good Roads
Movement.
Sherifis as Collection Agents.
Farmers Telephones-.Rural
Schools.

Something OF interest to farmers gem
orally, and especially to those who lease
their farms to tenants. is the decision
of Attorney General Mullan recently
banded down by him to the auditor of
state. MIR. Mullan holds that promis-
sorry notes taken to secure payment OF
rent are non assessable and should not
be listed for taxation until the note and
the rent are due. Thus, notes given for
this years rental and dated March 4
would be exempt from taxation until.
the rental or note is due. AS the as
scssment is made aisd the books turned
in by April 1, such notes are not re-
ouired TO be listed, as the rental is not
come due on Jan. /, it is evident that the
of5the note, as it would be paid and out
of the way before he got to it. And as
{. consequence it would seem that un-
less the holder of the note saw fit to list
the money at the succeeding call of the
assessor hat the ca sh might be planted
and escape taxation altogether
The Alden Times. an excellent Hardin
county weekly, is holding a good roads
symposium and the Hardin county
farmer is not at all backward in adj
vancing his views thru this medium.
The capitalization of the sentiment ex-
pressed is against the present system OF
district work and in favor of a tax pay
able in money and one-district sys-
tenn. 1T is good reading for the reason
that it is an expression from the men
Who pay for and use the roads. They
contend that the present system is a
failure: argue for tiled roads: that
more work may be better done for less
money in the proper season by trained
men and teams than by farmers with
teams unused 10 the conditions peculiar
10 grading and road work in general.
ard urge a trial Of the single district
system. ,Aiss
Buffalo Center farmers are attempts
ing the organization of farmers co-
operative lumber yard at that place II
is argued by it's promoters that stock
holders Will save from SIS to $50 on each
hundred dollars worth of lumber pur-
chased. besides a proper profit on all
sold to consumers outside the trust"
AS the country adjacent is largely I'M
improved as yet and much building will
be done soon. the farmers look with
considerable favor on the scheme. The
chances are that 1t would prove bone
of neighborhood and legal contention.
A farmer talking to the writer lately
asked. Why doesn't some good news
Taper take up and condemn the prac-
lice Of making election agents out of
our county sheriffs IN so-called criminal
cases? notice many cases here and
there where infofnlations are sworn out
the hands of a sheriff He makes trip
possibly into another state and finds his
man The defaulter makes good by pay
ing over to the officer the amount OF his
dsfalcation. is turned loose and the case
IS never prosecuted. Now I'd like 70.
know who pays the costs of the trip
and whether We elect sheriffs to act as
collection agents for firms or private
individuals. Can you tell me?" And 1
couldn't.
Late reports from the state capital are
that country telephones which charge a
fee or do a toll business are subject to
assessment and must pay taxes. Those
that Go not charge toll will escape tax
alton. The rapid growth of the farmers
mutuals over the state makes this a
subject for serious considera ton. When
1t is taken into consideration that each
of the farmers lines costs from 5000 to
$500 the aggregate, II they are taxable
would make considerable amount OF
revenue The companies, however, can
afford to pay the tax and charge the
toll as the income from the one will far
exceed the outlay of the other.
In southern and central IOWA q
warning has been extensively circulated
among farmers contemplating building
telephone lines against taking up with
any proposition looking toward a COM
munity of interests from toll lines al
ready established. 1t is now claimed
that any such arrangement will be on
| the buzz saw order and that the farm
| ers won't represent the buzz saw any.
They are warned that such propositions
are in the line of the invitation extended
by the spider to the fly and will result IN
the absorption of the farm line by the
| toll company. In Marshall county some
of the country lines get into the city
over a toll line at the reasonable rate Of
So per month per line. 1t is question
whether the rural companies could
maintain central on this amount even
| tho every farmers line in the country
We're in the pool.
| The rural mail delivery is forcing the
good roads question The rural deliv-
cry is an assured system. Another step
lin the right line and one that will add
;nsistence to the good roads pressure OF
the rural route, is school consolidation
No use talking, the neat white school
houses that mark each two miles Of
Iowa highway are ready to follow the
sod shanty to the home OF the has.
beens.'' The demand is for a higher
education and wider opportunities thar
the little white school house 10 able II
furnish. 1t must go and in the center
Of each township be replaced by up-to.
date buildings and scientific methods o.
instruction. And let me predict tina
the next fifteen years will develop grea
changes in farm life and country. char
acter. The tide that for years has car
ried the ambitious young man into tn,
cities is ready for its ebb. The changed
conditions. mail, telephone and dali,
news. will make him more content witt
his environment and he will stage on thu
farm. The trolley lines that will sool