The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-05-03

brought out that heavy penalties often
act as a burden and prevent the collec-
ton of tax, rather than in preventing
the delinquency Mr.. Hughes and
Judge Cray both thought the matter of
delinquents could be much better
handled through the county attorney
than through the clerk of court. Judge
Cray emphasized the fact that the
matter should be looked after by a
competent attorney. There would
then be less trouble with tax judg
| ments.
Mr.. Childs asked if the whole system
| of treating delinquents was not too
expensive, and if it could not be bet
ter and more cheaply reached by in
dividual service through the mails,
than by publishing in the press, where
few read it. Judge Cray said that SER
vice by publication was much the
best, and he would not favor doing
| that personal service where there were
large number of cases involved was
not sure or satisfactory.
All agreed that fair, just and full
assessment of property, both real and
personal lay at the basis of the whole
matter, and the conference referred
back to the assessment matter again,
and the question of county assessor.
The matter of assessing horses and
cattle of certain age the same, re-
gardless of real value, was brought up
and condemned by all, as was that of
treating farms of one town, one of
which might be much more valuable
than another in the same way. Mr..
Hahn said it was most vicious
manner in which to assess.
Boards of review also came in for
comment Some present thought local
boards ought to be done away with.
Mr.. Hughes said in many instances
he thought they did much good. Mr..
Hahn asked how county board of re-
view composed of the supervisor of as
SCISSORS, if one were provided for, the
auditor and the treasurer would suit
Several thought such board would
be all right. Others favored the chair
man of the county board to the
treasurer.
This afternoon the commission con-
tinued the work of gathering informa
ton regarding assessments and had an
interview WITH. g. Fowler in which
assessment matters were talked over
to considerable extent. The matter
of retention of the town boards of re-
view was brought up and the question
was asked as to whether they were
really necessary. Auditor Weaver said
he did not see why county board of
review could not do the work just as
we'll. This led to the examination of
assessment books from a number of
towns through the county. The
changes by the town boards were found
to be very rare and where made, were
in the majority of cases changed by
either the county or state board, and
sometimes by both. Out of several
towns examined there were only two
cases where the local boards had made
changes at all.
Clayton Kennedy, who has been in
the auditors Office some six years, was
then called on by the commission for
his ideas. He favored the assessing of
real estate once in four years, agree
ing with Mr.. Hahn on that point He
also thought there should be some
change in the matter of exemption of
personal property. Said that feature
caused more trouble than any other,
but said he had no particular sugges
tion to offer. He further thought that
the auditor ought to be given greater
power in the matter of correcting GER
tain errors, as for instance where
structures are credited to land on
which none at all stand, and also in
the matter of clerical errors. His
opinion was that assessments co uld be
more carefully made through county
supervision.
Other features of the system Of taxa
tion as carried out through the county
machinery was looked into during the
afternoon.
The commission went to Fari bault in
the evening, where they will continue
their examination tomorrow as to the
working of the system and gather sug-
gestions On May I'd they will visit
Austin, and on May Sd, Winona.
Mr.. Child, when spoken to by a
Free Press representative, expressed
himself we'll pleased with the results
of their visit here today.