The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-26
I'm securing the necessary revenue it

| In securing the necessary revenue 1t
| is of vital Importance to reform the
| now almost universally defective and
absurd systems of local taxation. The
| object sought should be taxation ac-
cording to ability to pay, as shown by
| possession of special privileges and
| natural opportunities whose values
| are due to the growth of the commun-
| 1ty and the power Of monopoly.
"All steam and electric roads, light
| ing companies and other corporations
| Of a quasi-public nature, should be
assessed at the same ratio to the mar
| ket value of the property as whole,
as are farmers. This market value
can usually be determined by the mar
ket quotations of the outstanding
stocks, bonds and other securities.
Under the guidance of Mr.. Somers,
| of st. Paul, Cleveland has perfected
| the best system known for reaching
the true value of lands in the city.
The value per front foot of lots Of 100
feet deep in the middle of every block
is first carefully estimated by city Of
1cials in public meetings of all the
property owners Of every ward, aided
by all attainable records of transfers,
etc. Then by certain fixed rules the
| approximate value of every lot, wheth-
| er on street corner or elsewhere In
the block is easily computed.
Municipal home rule in taxation,
whereby every city can exempt from
| taxation such forms of property as
| the voters may desire, is also greatly
needed.
franchises to public utilities should
not exceed twenty to twenty five
years, and should always provide for
public ownership at any time on pay
ment of the structural value of the
plants and of definite percentage adj
ditional for the value Of the franchise,
while the popularity and success of a
| rather rapid public assumption of such
enterprises are sure to be greater than
is generally supposed"
In conclusion, Prof. Bemis said:
"a final lesson drawn from any per-
| sonal experiences is the immense i'm
portance of good leadership such as
| is now seen in the mayoralty Of Ohio's
| Forest City. Why cannot men of
| character and power of leadership in
every community be content with
| their present accumulations, and, re-
| firing from active business life, help
in leading their fellow citizens to high
er and better things? We fail to ap-
preciate the need Of such leadership.
We pay our city engineers and heads
of departments, our mayors, council
men and state officials far too little,
and then wonder why the railroads
and trusts and city monopolies. with
| their vastly better paid men, overrun
| us as they do, and laugh at the ridic-
| ulous efforts of our incompetent pub
| lie servants to adequately deal with
them.
The programme for today is as fol-
! lows:
| $50 A. M.-Visit to public baths.
1920 A. M.-Trolley ride to ST. Paul and
| Minneapolis parks-courtesy of the st.
| Pau1 street railway
Luncheon as guests of the Minneapolis
| park board.
Addresses of welcome by Prof. w. w.
| Fowell and Hon. c. M. Loring.
Public Fairgrounds by Miss M.
Eleanor Tarrent, Louisville. Dwight Head
Perkins, Chicago, Ill.
1.-The Federation of Rural Social
Forces" Kenyon l.. Butterfield, Ann Ar
Dor, Mich.
8:00-The city beautiful.
1.-THE Improvement of Harrisburg e.
G.. Routzahn, Dayton, Ohio.
1.-THE Architectural Future of Chicago"
Dwight Head Perkins, Chicago, Ill.
Washington, Old and New" Charles
zueblin, Chicago, Ill.