Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-10-22


various sources were made. 1t was
not possible to give all this money
without raising the tax levy. We
carefully canvassed all these demands
and pared down the sums here and
there wherever it seemed possible
We cut the Louisiana Purchase Com
mission sum down to $125,000, and
many others.
Three and one-HaIf Mills.
Finally when all was done we gave
the executive council of the state per-
mission to make the state levy three
and one-half mills. 1t was thought
that perhaps the railroads might be
compelled to pay a larger percentage
OF the tax burden of the state and we
passed a bill giving the executive
council the permission to ask and re-
quire of the railroads answers to to
about $50 questions. Upon the basis
OF these question the assessment
against the railroads of the state has
been raised s7,000000.
In criticising the state assessment
it is said that the taxation upon the
agricultural interests of the state has
been increased IL per cent while upon
the railroad property the increase has
only been 8 per cent. This is not
true. The increase upon agriculture
mas been liz per cent but the increase
upon the railroad property has been
twenty per cent. In Wapello county
the assessment on farm property for
l9oo as returned by the assessors is
lower than in 1901. 1t stood then at
S32 per acre and in 1903 it stands at
$3.50. But when the returns were
all in and the accounts were balanced
the executive council found that it
was not necessary to use that extra
half mill and if you will look at your
tax receipt you will find that it stands
as it did at mills.
Voted on Five Hundred Bills.
During the last session voted up-
on nearly five hundred bills. To each
oil these bills | gave the closest atten-
ton that any legislator could give. I
voted upon them according to my best
Judgment along the lines of what /
believed was for the best interests of
the public. For partisan purposes it
frequently happens thai a representa-
tlye,s vote upon bill is misrepre-
scented and in many Instances it is
easy to make this Misrepresentation
10 illustrate. Take bill that or
iglnates in the house. 1t passes and
goes to the senate. To delay action
or for some other purpose it frequent
ly happens that some senator will
move as an amendment some little
thing that will entirely change the
meaning OF the wording as for in
stance motion to insert comma,
or some other punctuation after some
certain word. The bill then comes
back to the house and must again be
voted upon. The man who voted for
it originally to be consistent will have
to vote against the bila as it then
stands. and thus while a representa-.
tive may favor a bill and has record.
ed his vote in favor of it. by misrep-
resentlng the vote upon the amended
bill he may, be made to appear as vot-
ing against it. Such misrcpresenta-
ton has beea made in number of
| instances.
Great progress has been made in
the taxation of express and telegraph
companies in 1892 the express com
panies paid a total of only S3.65 tax
In Wapello county. In 1901 they paid
$ll0. The same advance has been
made with the telegraph companies.
Every Township Receives les Share.
Every township in every county
now receives it's share of the taxes
levied by the executive council and
much OF this tax is upon the intangi-
bic property belonging to these com
panies upon which the township as
SCISSOR is not able to lay his hands
and levy an assessment. | mention a
few OF these things to show you that
the republican party is looking after
your interests and is making a de-
cided progress in a just and proper
distribution of the burdens of taxation
and is mindful OF the manner in which
the taxes which you pay is expended
am proud to say that / voted for
the bills which have brought this
about.
Eleven years ago the democratic
party turned over the management of
Wapello county affairs to the republic
can party. There was then a total
bonded Indebtedness against the coun-
ty of 100000 with about $4,000 float
ing Indebtedness in addition. Last year
there remained but S81 900 of the
bonded Indebtedness and $4,000 of
that has since been paid so that there
now stands but $61.00O against the
county with no floating indebtedness.
Is not that a record for the republican
party and the board of supervisors to
be proud of?
The twenty-ninth general assembly
passed law that every county audi
tor should have issued in tabulated
form a statement of the total receipts
from all sources of all moneys that
come into the treasury and of the ex-
penditures of every kind. We want
the people to know where the money
is coming from and where every dollar
of 1t goes. If you will call at the coun-
ty auditors office you may have one
OF the little statements for the asking
and in it You will find complete fl
nancial statement for Wapello coun-
ty."
Introduces Mayor Brenton.
In conclusion Mr. Buchanan IN