Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-02-27


Howard Hudson rushes into print
in the World with a statement of his
$ ate taxes in vain endeayor, to
prove that taxes are really lower in
1907 than in the past. If he is
satisfied with his taxes it is nohody's
business to question it, but 1t is
remarkable how a man in his parts
anship will seek to deceive himself
and others as to the truth OF such
matters. He says that in 1908 his
state tax was S4.Sl; in 1905, S4.10;
in 1907, 1893. While these figures
are not absolutely correct, they are
nearer to the truth than usually
given by boxer statsticians. The
records show that in 1908 his state
tax was S4.72; in 1905, 1897 and in
1907, So % including the X mill
levy for the Irvine plant. In 1905
he paid slight penalty which he
has presumably added to the state
tax. But what he has not given is
his state tax for 1904 and 1906. To
complete the record for honest COM
parison they should be given and
are as follows: 1904, 1927; 1906,
$2.1S and on the same valuation for
1908 Though it will be higher at
the levy already made, A mills, will
be S4.76. He says in his communi
cation that the figures as given by
him do not convince him that the
Crawford administration has been
extravagant. We very much fear
that he is of nature which does
not want to be convinced He is of
the type of voter who could not be
convinced in 1895 that there was
merit in anything which did not
bear the stamp of populism and was
sure that the welfare of the nation
depended upon the adoption of the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of
Is to /, but whose financial condi-
ton has wonderfully improved since
under the gold standard. This type
of voter was as thoroughly convinced
of the benefits to arise from free sill
yer as he is now that tades are lower
in 1907 than in 1906 and with just
about as much reason. When popu-
lism became defunct, voters of this
class adopted one wing of the repub-
lican party because they had not
elsewhere to go and who now fight
republican principles from the inside
rather than the outside of the party.
Does Mr.. Hudson not know that the
last Legislature in control of the
Crawford wing appropriated $3.50,
600 more than any other Legislature
in the history of the state? Does he
not know that the appropriation for
every state Office, with one exception,
was increasedY Does he not know
that new and wholly unnecessary
offices were created for the hungry
faithful? That in mill levy foi
1908 occurs the first example of an
increased levy for year not leg
islative year and that the Crawford
administration wants the constitu.
tional levy set aside that taxes may
be levied without limit? That the
state board raised the valuation Of
farm lands in the state 500, 00O, 900
That his own land had a valuation
in 1905 of 81 900 with state levy Of
2 mills and the same land in 1907
had a valuation Of 81 ,189 with levy
of 4 mills and will have levy fol
1908 of 4 millss That in 1908 the
state tax amounted to $048, $3.50; in
1906, $S7S,S29; in 1907. 81, JOB, 1855
and il 1908 will be, on the present
valuation, 81 ,040,00Og Does he moi
know that even with the increased
valuation and taxes that there will
be deficiency at the close Of the
Crawford administration Of between
$400, 900 and $500,000s If he il
content with existing conditions,tha,
ends il 30 far as he is concerned, bu1
il he il honestly open TO conviction
why does he not secure comics of The