The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-01-17

ESQ., ~,
By virtue Of existing legislation, unless
changes are made the following named
Institutions, boards and FUNDS Will receive
the following amounts during the years
University of Michigan ............ $lS5 go
Michigan Agricultural college $500. 1850 az ~
Mayai hrigade ...... 249S
Dairy men's association ............. % ~
Dairy and food commits ioner..... o9v0 o
Board of library commissioners 10y
&C., weatber sarvice .. 1900
Total 81 ,32s, S56
The tax levy for 1901 1902 to defray
the current expenses of the asy-
lums aggregated ................$l'iSSS Svoo %
For the prisons. .......-........ ioe'VVo"
And for the general purposes or 80 ono ~
the state government ........... l,DoVoW
Mor,n0 q tota, ~ 81. 4s3, o76 81
Bills will probaDiy be introouSeE ea sta,s
library. fish commission and miscellaneous
objects, which Il Is safe TO say VIII DE az
large as in the Tl3s
The foregoing may be summarized IN the
following:
Institutions reporting to state
board Of corrections and chari, .oo o-o 90
institutions reporting 10 state
board of 4e e'5S ~ ~
University OF Michigan, Asri-
cultural college. etc............. Sob W
purposes .............. 2.493 076 8,
Miscellaneo,,s .,,... l23500 co
Total Sc, 234 sS7 IS
The tax levy for the years l9ol-19o2 was
6gl5, 1SS. so. Ii is evident. therefore, that
unless the constitution is amended so as
to provide sources of revenue additional TO
those now contributing to the general ex-
penses OF the sta'e care mast pc b 5aE much
less than during the years l9ol-l5Jy. ana
this too, without considering many new
projects. -,
special appropriations requested should be
prune6. for | believe that equipment has
been brought to standard eomme n,
the commonwealth. with the single eXcep-
ton of the institutions caring for the in
sane and epilept!c, where as pointed out
elsewhere there IL demand for additional
facilities 1t Is well to bear In mind that
the expenses of the state government
proper are but small part Of the budget.
the permanent appropriations with the
view OF placing such at figures no larger
than the actual requirements. In this con-
nection the pertinent question may be
asked.-6ic not the legislature Of 19Ni an
propriate beyond the real needs of the
Michigan Agricultural college when II
ably all state institutions boards and, COM
missions would prefer the permanent APP
preparation or mill tax system, and there
The chief objection is the difficulty of max
ing reductions and the tendency to FORGET
this part of the general tax burden. The
truth Is that there Is as pressing a neces-
sity for legislative review of these items
as for the careful consideration Of the or
dinarv appropriation. measure, and a
searching review should he made on the
theory OF the survival Of the fittest.
state Taxation.
Aptar years of apitaticn Michiran's
tenn OF taxation Is quite clearly defined, and.
the work of the future will consist In per-
fecting the system rather than In making
devise ways and measures for the practical
enforcement OF the laws now upon the
statute books; state supervision Of the
asse ssing machinery has already wrought
decided results and the powers, OF the board
of state tax commissioners should be In
creased rather than diminished. This
be exercised wisely and conservatively.
but cases arise requiring the full limit of
its power and to abridge Its authority would
ton Of aggravated violations Of the tax
law.
Under the supervision of the commits
sion the work of assessing officers In plac-
ing property on the rolls at value approx
mating the requirements OF the law, and the
work OF finding hidden wealth which here
tofore was undervaiued or escaped assess
toriiy. and / deem II proper to take mo-
tice Of the efficiency and willingness of
many OF the local assessing officers to CO.
operate with the commission In the accom-
plishment OF this result. But II Is an un-
fortunate circumstance that while the
work of assessment has proceeded thus
satisfactorily the results have, In some
counties. been partially or wholly neutral
lied by boards of supervisors In their work
of equalization. The action of these boards
Is controlled more often BY local interests
Of the members than by desire TO conform
to the law and instead of equalizng upon
| a cash basis. as pointed out by the commits
sion in the matter of original asse ssments
they frequently ignore the question of
cash valve altogether. And this VIII al
ways be the result when there Is no control
over the assessing officers by an inde-
pendent and, disinterested authority.
As might have been expected, In the To-
| calities where assessment law was least
regarded where Intervention of the state
authority was most needed for correction
| of abuses. where assessing officers yielded
most unwilling compliance with the law,
there the evils OF equalization were most
corrective measures were most resorted to-.
| II Is clear that II the work Of the state
board Is to be given its greatest efficiency
and the results Of It's work saved to the
people most In need OF assistance. some
| change Is necessary to control, or at least
| TO regulate the authority of county boards
| OF equalization. These local boards should
not have complete and fnal authority 10
| equalixe their work Of assessment. GER
| tainly not In counties where the commits
| sion by systematic examination and review
| has impressed the property Of all localities