Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-31
LOCAL COMMENT.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

N
for the neglect to properly assess the
nronerty Of the great glucose factory
for taxation for the reason that the
CITY council and citizens generally in
the past have considered it good pub
lie policy to remit taxes ana roster
the Industry in the hopes that 1T could
be induced to operate continuously. Hs
pay roll of $4,000 per month, when
the wheels were grinding, WAS worth
more to the town than the taxes ana
CITY councils as we'll as assessors nave
been blind for the sake OF pubic IN
terests. Without discussing the Wis
dom Of such action, for It is passed.
the conditions now are that the factory
has stood idle for two years and this
community is entitled to all the taxes
that the same amount OF property
has paid when owned in seyeralty by
individuals. If the glucose company
has neglected to list any personal prop
erty at all when other factories in
this city list and pay taxes on $4,000
worth Of personal property every year
there is work for the tax ferret to do.
The city council is doing right in in
sis.ing that the glucose property should
be assessed for taxation and the taxes
collected.
In taking such a stand no just cause
has been given for the owners of the
factory to assume that the people of
this town desire to persecute the glu-
cose company There is no such spirit
manifest among the citizens. Tama
county has kicked and enjoincd TO put
Nod lie,
emanating from glucose sewage, bur
Marshalltown people have been almost
on the point of shouldering arms to
protect their big factory. They have
built $4,000 sewage plant now ex
pressly fer the glucose company which
certainly is no manifestation of NAL
ice. Should the factory start it's en-
gines tomorrow it would have no just
claim to further tax exemption and it
is debatable question whether this
community ought to remit any NOR :
taxes for the great corporation. At
present public officials must perform
their duty under the law.
The editor, who observes the enthusi-
asm of the citizens of other Iowa towns
in which local benefactors build iibrar-
les, Y. Nj. c. A. temples, public hospit-
ais, opera houses, orphans homes, and
such monuments to large and human
hearts, all of which has been done in
Iowa in the last few months, looks for
ward to the banquet of the Commercial
Club with great hopes. II some awaken
ing of public spirit in Marshalltown
could induce the possessors of large
wealth to give thousands where they
now contribute hundreds, as citizens of
this class do in other towns, the city of
Marshalltown would be born anew. We
have citizens who have given literally
in the past, but thru unfortunate cir
cumstances the public never understood
the spirit of the givers, and they have
been denied the credit due them. We
have had citizens die with great estates
boarded, and, perhaps passed to nom
resident heirs, which citizens We're
soon forgotten and scarcely missed, be-
cause they had neglected to improve the
greatest of all opportunities which
wealth offers, the power to bestow pub
lie benefactions. Scarcely monument
stands in this city today in the form OF
a public building to perpetuate the hon
ored name of beloved citizen. The
monuments we have We're erected by
the public and dedicated by a grateful
and gave until they gave themselves
poor. Some died poor, some are yet
living poor in property but rich IN the