The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-10-29

- AtiAHSt9 oO N"oVfVNNi ohN III NA'ooouAi
81, 100000.
The street railways of st. Louis,
which we're assessed by the last Re-
publican city assessors at five and a
half million Of dollars, with but
slight increase IN mileage, are assessed
by the Democratic State Board at
eighteen and ahd a half millions Of
dollars.
The public service corporations Of
Missouri now pay taxes on more than
sl31, 100000. So intelligent a news
paper as the Globe. Democrat cannot
be ignorant Of the fact that while the
Republican party was In control Of
Missouri, the railroads did not pay
one dollar of state taxes.
1t is true that railroads and other
public service corporations pay more
taxes in Illinois and Iowa and Kansas
than they do 10 Missouri, in spite Of
the fact that they are assessed much
lower in all three Of these republican
states, but II is also true that all
other classes Of property pay more
taxes in these states than In Mis-
souri,, for the simple reason the tax
rate in those states is from three to
five times as high as it Is 10 Mis-
souri,.
1t is only necessary to call your at
tention to your own assessment, and
to the assessment Of some OF your
contemporaries to demonstrate con-
clusively that your statement, that
property assessed by the local assess
ors in Missouri is valued at one hun
dred cents on the dollar is the purest
fiction. The Globe Democrat could
not be purchased for two million of
dollars and if 1t was assessed on the
same basis that the State Board values
public service corporations, it would
be required to pay taxes on at least
S7j0O00, yet the records of the as
sesor's Office for the city of st Louis
show tnat the Globe Democrat pays
taxes on less Than 500, 900, or about
5 per cent of its ''actual value I"
Your local contemporary, the Post
Dispatch, which has had much to say
in condemnation OF democratic rule
in Missouri, is another striking illus
traLiOn Of the absurditv Of your claim
that property in Missouri not assessed
by the Ntate B ard pays on a higher
valuation than public service corpora
tlons. The Post Dispatch is capital
lied at million dollars, fully paid up,
and according to its sworn statement.
on file in the Office of the Department
Of State at Jefferson City, is worth
one hundred cents on the dollar. AS
matter of fact, the paper could not
be purchased for a million and half
dollars, and yet the Post. Dispatch
only returns TO the city assessor for
taxing purposes $S2. 900, or 3 2.1O per
cent of its actual value, according to
its own statement.
In Kansas, as ln Illinois and Iowa,
the assessment Of public service cor
pOratiOns is vastly below that Of
Missouri, but there, too, the tax
rate is 50 cents on the 800 for state
purposes. and consequently corpora
tiOnS end all other classes Of property
In that state pay more taxes in pro-
portion to It's value than 10 Missouri.
In addition to this, Missouri collects
from corporations In special fees and
taxes, not included In the general tax,
more than million dollars annually,
every dollar Of which goes into the
state treasury, AMI just to that extent
lessons the burden on the property
and holdings of the individual citizen.
Surely, in view of its own tax rec
ord, to say nothing Of the comparisons
here submitted. the Globe-Democrat
ought to be the last to complain Of
taxation in Missouri. The issue it
presents on this subject will prove as
disastrous to the republican party
leaders as did the effort made two
years ago to fool the people with the
cry Of a "looted school fund
SAM B. Cook.
Jefferson City, Mo-, October 20, 1904.