Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-10
CANT DODGE TAXES
oTTUMWA CITIZEN HAS ESCAPED
EVERY CREDITOR EXCEPT
TREASURER RUFUS DANA.
Elves 1t Up and Pays His BiIl-Treas-
urer's Office is Busy Place-Many
Protest But Without Additionally
is Added Apri! l..

81 have lodged my butcher, grocer
and tailor: have owed genteel bills at
cigar stands, billiard rooms and bowl
ing alleys for two or three years at
q time, but that man Dana skins me
out of my money without word of-re-
greet and have not the remotest
chance in the world of ever getting
back at him" The speaker was well
dressed citizen of Ottumwa. Hundreds
of people know him and have been in
just the same predicament that he was
and know just exactly how he felt
when he made the above remark.
He had just paid little tax bill of
something over 5000 dollars. Deputy
Treasurer w. B. Moore had handed
him back silver dollar and two or
three pennies. He slowly folded up
a big long we'll worn wallet, looked re-
gretfully at the pile OF money he had
just been separated from as it was
drawer, and turning with slow and
heavy stride went into the hall. At
the door of the Office he looked back
again, rather sullenly. Just what his
thoughts were at the moment have not
been recorded but those who have
been in the same place, may have a
good idea.
His Little Contribution.
This good citizen had just been in
to. make his little contribution to
Wapello county for the privilege of
owning the house he lives in, and en-
joying the other modern conveniences
supplied by the city of Ottunlwa at
total rate of Sc mills on the dollar.
Hundreds of others are doing the same
thing every day and the number will
perhaps increase day by day till April
1, when the penalty is added to all tax
bills that are not paid. The effort to
get in and get the tax paid and avoid
this penalty is what is causing the
rush at the treasurer's office at the
present time for it is cinch that if
too many delay they can not all get
in on the last day of the month.
Tax bills are one of the inevitable
things if one owns property. If one
does not pay, the county in due time
takes the property and the owner is
relieved of his burden. What is more,
the collector does not come after his
bill. The owner must walk up, pre-
sent himself and ask what he owes.
No refusal will be tolerated but in or
der to tighten the burden the county
their contributions in two installments.
Many people take advantage. of this
privision and it lightens the drain on
the family purse to a great extent.
For the past few days the office of
the county treasurer has been crowd
ed with good citizens Of both sexes,
nc si;Ilio...svvsalk -, up to the counter
and pay outS their money without a
nurmur. In some cases a taxpayer.
will advance a vigorous protest to the
treasurer about the exorbitant taxes
he is compelled to pay. The treasurer
has nothing to do with this part of
the proceeding. He gently explains
the situation, takes the money, and
the next citizen in line steps up.
Knows What He Owes.
AS usual rule the taxpayer of the
middle class has made use of the ia
Bile published in the Courier and knows
Just how much he or she is expected to
pay and hands out the exact amount
down to the coppers. Ancient looking
wallets are frequently brought to
light, whose annual pilgrimage to the
court house with the tax money has
long ago become an old story. In
many families the payment of the
taxes is counted quite hardship, no
matter how nominal the amount. The
wages of the hard waIking father are
iust sufficient to provide for the nee
essaries of life and it requires consid .
cradle financiering on the part of the
economical wife and mother to meet
the drain imposed by the payment of
the taxes.
A cheerful locking citizen in overalls
came out OF he court house today,
carefully fold ". Up his tax receipt. He
looked as ha u IS if he had been the
recipient of {, N; of money, instead
of just payin.., 1, the price of several
tons of soft cod. Its big weight
off my mind said he. II think. it's
every mans duty to contribute to the
support of the state and what's the use
in grumbling about it. I'm glad I
have something worth paying taxes on
and that am able to pay. would
much rather pay taxes than doctors
bill" r
y