The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-10-19

board OF tax commissioners Thei
employment was valuable TO the stat.
and was made and completed accord
Ing TO law ! still compliment thes,
gentlemen for the able assistance the,
rendered the state in that great con
test for the power and majesty of con
sti'nional government. | wish 10 keer
u p~ominently before you that that
cont0 was waged by corporate pow
er against tie sovereign power OF the
state. and IL the corporations had been
successful in that contest the state
would have heen humhled before their
power and instead OF the state being
a government by the people and for
the people II would today be a plu.
tocracy dominated hy s0rdid wealth
and corporate power paying lust
such taxes 10 The people as they di-
rected the Legislature 70 authorize I
say this because in the legal contest
10 sustain the tax law OF 1891. il was
shown that the valuation OF railroad
property under the old system was
$50 o00o which amount had been
fixed and determined by the railroads
Themselves which amount they Of
fered To pay upon without further
contest The real contest. therefore
being on the increase of sgl 600 900
fixed by the states assessment made
under the new law II was this vana.
tlon OF S9l .000 900 which | fought TO
sustain and won in the courts and
which the railroads tried u escape
from paying upon
Make your own computation These
corporations have been compelled 10
pay taxes on this valuation (which |
fought for and upheld in the highest
COURT for fourteen years Take the
average rate for state and local pur
poses for fourteen years. then add H.
u the additional revenue paid under
the sleeping car law Of 1899. and you
viii have the net result OF the benefit
You have received from my admins
traiion "a attorney general OF Indiana.
AMI as have said the beneficial re.
suit OF my labors for the state is 20.
ing on. and will continue to bear rich
rewards until through mismanage- !
mcnt and corrupt methods corporate
power shall again seize the legitimate |
Of our state government.
DO Jon hear anyone say. He re-
'eised more than he was worth"g
The work ] have briefly stated 70
ron was neither light nor pleasant.
was hard. laborious work. The
Inestions involved were original and
y the highest moment to the state
jef"at meant financial disaster to the
tate and denial to the people the
light 10 exercise through the law w-mak-
ng department OF government the
overeign power OF taxation indepen-
ent Of the wish and demand of cor
and trusts.
Nothing more need be said on this I
ibject except that since the conclu-
on Of this labor these corporations
ave pursued me with unrelenting op-
ositon They still feel the stingl
ut the mill grinds on.
The governor asserts in his speeches
at during the session OF the legisla- n
ire in 1891. when he was a senator. I,
at he observed that put in the
hole winter lobbying for a bill TO :
crease the compensation OF the at c.
rney general. and that he. as a SEN W
or. opposed that bin at every step d
ID stage even 10 voting 10 sustain
lvernor Hovey's veto. To say the
lst of this statement. il is reckless Z
le only bill introduced In the legis- ei
-ure OF 1891 affecting the compensa- pl
N OF the attorney general was the n
neral fee and salary law. which w,s
caucus measure OF the Democratic -
rty The policy or the measure was pc
reduce and grade down compensa. pu
n allowed 10 state and county on ru
rs from 2h 70 80 per cent When -
u measure was pending consent
and advised the committee having on
IN charge 10 reduce the commission re-
owed tie attorney general under is
law Of 1889. from 20 10 IL per o.,
II. a reduction of 80 per cent. which
lnee was made and became a part Wv
he law which Is shown at page i2l an
lnt Acis of March y. 1891. sta
he governor says he opposed the
sage OF that law from start to
sh and at every stage and step.
ause il was intended TO increase
compensation Of the attorney gen ag,
!. The record shows that this law
! intended to. and did. decrease the ~
ipcnsation Of the attorney general tru
per cent on collections and no tina
re added any additional powers. TAX
les or compensation TO that Office. an
oever voted against that bill voted
lllow the attorney general 40 per o'n
more on collections than ! asked tax
legislature TO put into the law in
n.
knew that powerful lobby OF the !,
lty officers were present and at :"
pied 10 defeat the bill. not because dur
favored the attorney general for In
were opposing him. but simply ern
Iuse = efeat Of that measure
Id lpcn =. rs and salaries OF these
falls az gh.water mark So II is mer
u see that a member of the die
raj assembly who voted to defeat uric
bin voted with the county Off.