The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-29
STATE BOARD DEMANDS iNFoR.
NATION FROM BANKS.
AN ORDER TO ASSESSORS
In Case Of Refusal to Give Requir.
ed Statements Test Will
Be Made.


it's powers under the law to tax bank
stocks, IS it appears that from some
of the counties no returns OF such
holdings have been made by the as
SCISSORS, while in others it seems that
only partial returns have been made,
owing to the fact that some Of the
bankers, especially those conducting
national banks, have denied the
boards right to tax them. At it's
meeting yesterday the beard adopted
a resolution directing every ssessor
in the state to procure a verified state
ment from some officer of every bank
in each county of the number Of
shares and their amount, the amount
Of surplus or reserve fund, the amount
invested in real estate and the name
made that there be secured from ~
cry private banker, broker Or dealer
in stocks a verified statement Of a
number of business matters.
Eleven copies Of the resolution
were mailed to that many assessors,
while in some instances the clerk Of
the board telegraphed the substance
Of the resolution to the more remote
ones.
The board looks for a refusal from
the banks to give the information de-
manded and is prepared to institute
a test case in the courts of the state
to settle the question of the validity
of the law under which it is acting.
The resolution is as follows:
Sat a meeting of the state board
of equalization, held en- this 25th day
of August, 1902, said board having
under consideration the question of
the taxation and the correction of the
return of assessments made in refer
enc to the returns made by said sew
eral counties, it appearing to- the
board that in many of the counties no
bank stock has been returned, and.
it further appearing to the board that
several Of the counties of the state
have reported a very small assess
ment of the bank stock in said u
ties, and it being the duty OF the as
SCISSORS of the several counties OF
the state to procure from the cashier
or other accounting officer Of every
bank a verified statement to the
assessor showing the amount and
number OF shares of the capital stock
of each bank, the amount of it's sur
plus or reserve fund, the amount Of
in real estate, which real
estate must be assessed and taxed as
other real estate; and it appearing d
to he state board of equalization
from the returns made by tie several
counties to the state board of equali-
zation that Section 3691 of the politi-
eal code has not been complied with.
and that the capital stock of the sew.
sral banks of the several counties of
The state is not assessed at its full
cash value:
1T is hereby ordered that the as.
essor of each and every county in
state return to the state board of
qualization a verified statement
aade by the cashier or other account
officers of every such bank, show
lg the amount and number of shares
t capital stock of each bank, the
of its surplus or reserve fund,
amount of investments in real
state, and the name of each and ev-
" stakeholder in such banks.
"Also, that they furnish to- the
ate board of equalization the name
every private banker, broker or
saler in stocks, and a verified states
ent made by each banker, broker
dealer in stocks, which verified
atement shall contain the amount
money on hand or in transit; the
mount of funds in the hands of other
.nks or brokers, or others subject to
aft; the amount of checks or cash
Ems, the amount thereof not being
cluded in either of the preceding
ms; the amount of bills receivable,
'couAteu OF purchased, anu OLn6f
edits due or to become due, and ac-
UNITS receivable; the amount of
nds and stocks of every kind, ex-
pit United States bonds and shares
capital stock or joint or other com
MES or corporations held as in
stment, or in any way representing
let's; and all other property per-
ming to said business other than
! estate; the amount of all de-.
tits made by other persons in his
the amount of all accounts
able other than current deposit
II. JOHNS COUGH CURE win