The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1903-06-18
SAM COOK ON TAXATION
And the State RepuhIIcsn's
Reply.
Valuable Pointers as 70 ne Tax
Rate. Its Determinntion
and ApplIcstion,
NEW sYsTEM or TAxATEOs.
~ which Consutssiosal I1Initat,ons are
Evadsd--Ths seheoi Rsaa ana
Intsrsst Faz. Etu.


We have The honor to have receiv.
st the following communication
from Hon. Sam b. Cook. to which
We would have replied in our laa
issue If il had been received in times
SAM b. COOKS LETTER.
State Of Missouri. Department Of
State. City Of Jefferson Sam ID.
Cook, Secretary Of State. May 10,
1908. Mr.. Z. C. Brockmeyer, Editor
State Republican. St Louis, No.
DearSir: Under the caption How
Democrats Reduce Taxation" in
your issue Of last week, you give
conspicuous space to tnefollowing:
When a Democrat tells you that
his party has continually reduced
taxation in Missouri for thirty years
past, ask him why the State A di.
tors reports shows:
state revenue from taxation, "a
S6,S7a,557.
State revenue from taxation, lsol-
9. Sl0, SO, $50.
Increase ia taxation per blennial
( period under Democratic state gov
lernment, $3.50. .5O2 "
have not compared these figures
with the Auditors report, but as
sume they are correct
The editor Of the state Republican
il too well informed on state taxa.
ton to need any enlightenment on
this subject. but for the benefit Of
those Of his readers who are not 50
thoroughly enlightened on Missouri
affairs. respectfully submit the fol-
lowing figures. taking for eompari.
son the last year oi Republican rule,
| 1870:
Tax rate, state purposes, 1870, on
the slO0 valuation, $50.
Tax rate, state purposes, 1893, on
the slice vaiBatioB, ais
Amount Of state tax paid on 81, ,0OC
assessment 1870. $500
Amount Of state tax paid on 81 90
assessment, 1905. $50
Decrease as compared with iS7O
| $50.
Certainly. the total tax collected
for state purposes is now gncatei
than Il was thirty-two years ago.
The population Of the state In lSI'
was only I.7sl .295. In 1902 Il hat
grown TO 3.ioa .eG5.
The taxable wealth oi the state "a
llSf0 was s,s9. 600 900. In laO2 Il wa
II .s0. .Uoo.Ooe Ia lST0 there was onl,
one asylum for the care OF the insane
In 1892 there were four asylums e.
these unfortunates. with Hospita
for the Feeble. Minded, a Reform
School for Boys, an Industrial hom
Tor Girls. Home for Confederate Sol
dicrs. and Home for tieraiSoldiers
In lS70 the state paid for the sup
lport OF the public schoOols, $Ssi'
llil.4s.
In 1902 the state paid for the suI
port Of the public schools $l,lT0,
lall.fa
THE increase la the total amour
% thc taxes collected and disbnrseI
, was not affected through an incneas
? Ia the tax ratc, but IA was the resHl
oi the natural incpase Ia the weelt
az tllc state, isnd the assessment {
! property whleh IN 1870 escaped a,
alton
} Ia 1870 the railroads did not pa,
lany state taxes at an.
In la0s the railroads paid taxes 0
au assessment oi eighty-slx miilio
dollars
, Ia 1879 an i,cs Oi state officers wei
retaincd 10y thupc officials,
ln i9oe the Irca aud special tax
eollected hy state officers amounte
20 more than SSoo.ea, every DO
llar os this amouat went into q
state treasaFy.
s rhcss. brieas, are the r,sssuns " D
Z the pcmocrats ot Missouri have h'e
) able 10 take generous cane Of q
s states nnIortunates aud sistribu
: more than threc times as nach a
) nually TO the support oi. she publ
{ schools, whiie az she same time :
, ducing the state tax rate from his
= CENTS 10 eighteen ecnts
Very n'opeesinlly.
"a SAM D. COOK,