The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-17
EXPLAINS
K|EFER'S RECEIPTS
Deputy Assessor Shows How
Republican Candidate Ma.
nipulates Tax Statements.

A. II. k1efer, the Republican candi-
date for comptroller, has repeatedly
asserted at political meetings that Ed
ward PETERSON made a false statement
regarding the taxes paid by Kiefer on
certain Tenth street property. Kiefer's
IaVorlte assertion has been, figures
do not lie, but liars sometimes use fig
ures. In answer to this Mr.. Peterson
says:
'Kiefer can say what he pleases. but
the tacts remain as l stated. In 1894
lots and z, that are now owned by
hlerer, were in the names of Peter
and George Kaupers as about half
owners, and Kiefer as the owner of
the remainder. The records show this
and 1 know that I am right
In 1884 the Kaupers and Kiefer
paid 1896 in taxes, this occurring at q
time when the city was under a Re-
publican administration.
In 1903, under Democratic admin
lstrat1on, after Kiefer had acquired
the interest of the Kaupers In the
property and owned both pieces, he
paid taxes to the amount of $23425.
he cannot deny this statement, al
though he has attempted to twist the
real facts for the benefit of the Re
publican party
From this it is evident that Kiefer
has tried to mislead his hearers by the
neat trick of showing the tax state
ment OF only half the property that he
now really owns, and some of which
passed to him since 1894. 1t is a po-
llt1cal trick of which 1 did not believe
that he would be guilty.
AS to the property Of F. B. Doran,
want to say again that l was correct,
and repeat that in 1894 he paid $55.65
on the same property that he now pays
$SS.9S. Doran knows that this is the
case, but he has attempted to twist
the facts in this way: He has been
claiming that in 1894 he was paying
taxes on two lots and that l included
poth properties in the statement. This
Is not true, and DOran is aware of the
fact. My statement was for lot 1,
block IL, Bells addition, on which the
residence of Doran is located, and did
not include the other lot that he once
owned, as has been claimed by DOran.
Il repeat now and can prove every
person who comes to the assessors
office that in 1894 Doran paid a tax
of $685. on his home and one lot, and
on exactly the same property he paid
$3.50 in 1903 Doran may suuirm and
twist and talk about one lot and two
lots, but I am right and defy him to
bring to me any number Of men and
show that / am wrong He cannot
prove by his tax receipts that 1 have
made a false statement, but attempts
to hide behind the pretense that in
1894 he paid taxes on two lots and in
1903 on one. This is not true Let
him come to the front or stop making
his miSstatements.
There was but one error in the
original statement. The difference in
the school tax raised for the two years
was not correctly given. Here are the
correct figures:
School tax 1903. $685., 272
School tax 1894 ................. 246 500
In favor of 1903. ,573
For the figures that I gave I vouch
correctness with this one exception
and this mistake was caused by q no.
tatiOn made under a false impression
and was really but the result Of mar
ginal note to call attention to a total
on the same subject AS to the con-
tention Of MessrS. Kiefer and Doran
that they have been misrepresented, /
must say that they realize that they
are not telling the truth when they
question the facts"
Some curious man has delved into
the records of the city comptroller's
office and has discovered the principal
reason for the present tax rate. He
has obtained the figures for the
amounts expended by the last two Re-
publican administrations-thos of F.
B. Doran and A. R. Kiefer-and has
also secured the figures of the amounts
expended under the administration of
Mayor Robert A. Smith for the past
four years for school buildings and
improvements to school buildings dur
Ing the same period. The amount
spent under the F. B. Doran admins
tration for school buildings and re-
pairs was $4S,676.37, and under the
Kiefer administration was only $685.
26I81, making total spent in this
6irnn nf
A. Smiths administration of four
years-an equal time-there was ex-
pended a total Of $685. 0O.65, or a diff
ference in favor of Mayor Smith of
$431 ,562.47. The item for repairs was
made necessary by the wretched con-
dition of the school buildings when the
Democrats came into power
The people of ST. Paul have memories
sufficiently lengthy to remember the
deplorable conditions which made it
imperative that the Democratic admin
istration make these large expenditures
for school purposes, and which natu-
rally have to be paid for in taxes
Thousands of children of proper school
age were being denied their rights of
an education; many were compelled to
take but half holidays and others were
denied opportunity to attend school at
all. The teachers were not regularly
paid, and there was turmoil and con-
tention in this important part Of the
city government, and the result was a
school service which utterly democrat
lied. No effort Is being made by the
Republican orators or newspapers to
deny that this was the condition of af-
fairs, and none will be. They simply
shout High taxesl" and trust to the
natural inclination Of the average voter
not to investigate the causes.
The Fifth Ward Banner club held an
enthusiastic meeting last night at 42S
West Seventh street, and its members
were addressed by a number of the
local Democratic campaigners. Among
the speakers were: George Reding-
ton, DR.. E. H. WhitcOmb, T. c. Aggett,
Joseph Cornican, Richard D. O'Brien,
j. j. Regain and Winn Powers.
Another Robert A Smith club was
added to the rolls last night when the
First Ward Robert A. Smith club was
organized at largely attended meet
ing held at Lafayette and Collins. The
new club starts out with a member
ship of $50 and the initial meeting of
the club enthusiastically Endorsed the
entire Decorate ticket. G. e. Robb
is president and j. F. Kahn secretary
of the new political organization.
The Republicans held a meeting last
night at Odd Fellows hall on Payne