Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-29
STATE HOUSE.
Hon. George PottIe interviewed
by Paper in Iowa.
ne IS Investigating Systems Of Tax
alton Prevailing in Other States.
Beef Production by Maine Farmers
Urgently Advised.

Hon. George Pottle of Lewiston, a
member of the board of State asses
sors. Is now making a tour of some OF
the western states in regard to the
systems of taxation prevailing in those
places, and has just been interviewed
by the Daily Capital of Des Mo!nes
Iowa. the official paper of that state
The paper SAYS:
Hon. George Pottle of Lewiston
Me-, member of the board of State as
| SCISSORS of that State, is in Des Moines
and spent all day today at the state
auditors office. looking up the question
of taxation of state property in Iowa.
Mr. Pottle is sent out from Maine as an
emissary under law passed by the
last legislature of Maine, requiring
that biennially an investigation be
made into the system and method of
taxation of other states. and that care
full and constant inquiry into the
practical operation and effect of the
laws of Maine be made in comparison
with those of other states, to ascertain
where the laws of Maine are defective.
The results of this investigation are to
be reported, together with recon-
mendations. to the legislature.
The representative who has been
sent out from Maine has already made
such investigation in the states Of
Minnesota and Wisconsin and from
Iowa he will go to Illinois, Indiana and
Michigan. He will then return home
and later make q tour of investigation
through some of the eastern states. in
Guiding New York, New Jersey, Massa-
chusetts and others. Mr.. PottIe is a
believer in the theory advanced by
Judge n. s. ellison, president of the
Wisconsin board of tax commissioners,
that there should be a national con-
ventioa held in 1908, just after the close
OF the legislatures of the various
states. for the purpose of discussing the
question of taxation by the various
state tax commissioners and boards of
review in the country.
"T believe such a convention would
result in good to every tax payer in the
country said Mr.. Pottle, in discussing
the question today. We need more
light and the way to get it is to get
out with other states and discuss the
different methods of taxation. There
is not so much trouble experienced in
the method of taxing property in the
0llEefent states as there Is III lldklilS
an equitable distribution of such tax
es. People do not so much care how
they are taxed, so that they are not
taxed inequitably, or in other words,
more than their neighbors.
" Ihave hardly gone far enough in my
Investigations of the Iowa methods of
taxation to state my conclusions, but |
will say that 50 far as / have gone, | be-
lieve Iowa has a very good system. |
like the method employed here Of
checking back and forth between the
state board of review and the county
boards and vice versa. Yes, / am also
looking into the question of railroad
taxation and methods employed to
reach equitable results in dealing with
this class of property. Your system is
entirely different from ours. We tax
railroads on their gross earnings and
not upon their physical value. Down
in Maine we are open to conviction, and
when we find some methods better than
those we have in use for taxing our
citizens, we will adopt the new ones
and put the old ones aside. That is fair
isn't it!