Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-18
A PLEA FOR THE TAX FERRET.

Editor Times Republican: Nearly
every paper in Iowa has taken shot
or two at the tax ferret. Isn't 1t about
time for US to stop and ask who and
what the tax ferret Isl 1 en- going
to quote from the Sioux City Journal
and the Grinnell Herald. use the first
because 1t is the editorial expression
OF an able and widely circulated daily
land the second because 1t is the edi-
torial expression of local paper OF
my own town.
| From Sioux City Journal:
The people who have been COM
ipeIied by the tax ferret law to pay
some support to the state are heartily
ASHAMED OF the legislature responsible
for the statu;e.-Cedar Rapids Gazette.
"'rha, may be. 1t is fine fun for
everybody when the tax ferret discoy-
ers that some man With little money
| to spare has loaned Ii on & per cent
mortgage and the assessing board
fixes things so the ioaner shall pay
per cent interest on that mortgage.
| II is huge joke on the lender, and
the community is quite ready to smile.
But the laugh isn't going to last long
AT the expense of the money lender. II
terminates abruptly just as soon as
that loan has to he renewed. Then
the lender tells the borrower that the
transaction has not proved profita
lble one Instead of netting 6 per cent
on his hives tment the lender has netteel
only per cent. The borrower is mid
iiy but firmly told that II he wants 10
renew the loan he Will have to pay 5
per cent for it per cent ne, fer the
lender and he extra : per cent whieh
1.-The lender is required to pay In taxes
on the mortgage. II the borrower de-
murs he is quietly told that tho lendsr
| can net per cent for his money oy
sending 1t cut of the state for Invest
ment, or II he has to loan for per
cent his preference is 10 loan 10 some
bank, where the interest is readily
paid and compounded. Then the laugh
lis turned on the borrower. Owing 70
1.-THE benevoence OF the tax ferret the
borrower Is required to pay per cent
! additional when he renews that mort
gage. In that event II may be pre-
sumed that the borrower is more or
less ashamed Of the Legislature whicn
provided the tax ferret 10 enforce a
system Of double taxation in which the
poor man rays all the taxes.
From the Grinnell Herald:
The Montezuma Republican says IT
has never heard OF an argument
against the tax ferret law except when
lii came from the tax dodger. We have.
We heard II banker say 1t had driven
| two millior, dollars out of the state
during the past year and vas making
| a bid for first place over land specula-
tons in other states for the distinction
of creating IL great financial stringent
cy in the state.
AN attorney said that when Powa-
sh.ek county had paid the expenses of
Its present suits and realized THAI
loose capital was leaving the county,
lit would not feel very rich unless the
tax ferrets had collected more back
taxes than he imagined they had
Now IL you will note carefully, you
will find that it Is the tax ferret who
lis the object of both of these attacks
and not the tax laws of the state. The
Ilaw authorizes the treasurer to coolest
taxes on any property that he finds has
been omitted or concealed within five
years. The county is also authorize!
to employ some one to search the rec
ords in order to ascertain who has been
evading taxation. This work requires
time that the trea surer can not spare
and patience, tact and expert knowl-
edge that the treasurer does not pos
sess. The person SO employed is called
a tax ferret. II the supervisors were
TO employ an additional deputy treas
urer and put this work on him the re.
suit would be Just the same. and tbs
oily objection of the Mount Ayr Rec
ord that II In "a grave infringement
upon the local self government idea
would stand exposed. But not all Iowa
papers denounce the tax ferret. 1t is