, 1908-03-18
TAX BOARD
IN SESSION
FIRST MEETING or VOLUNTARY
COMMISSION HELD AT OFFICE
OF STATE SECRETARY.
r. Schnitger Elected Chair
man aid A. D. Cook Secretary
Chairman Gives His Views as Sec
rotary of State as To Probable
Plan of Action by Board.

The first meeting of the recent.
appointed voluntary commission, az
pointed by the governor to investigat,
taxation matters in this and othe
states, held its first meeting in the OF
fee of Secretary of State Schnitger a
Cheyenne Monday morning.
The members, who serve withou
pay, were all present, and are as fol
lows: William r. Schnitger, A. ID
Cook, w. E. Mullen, l.. j. Duhig AM
John Hay.
Mr.. Schnitger was chosen chairman
and A. d. Cook secretary. F. J.. Ms
wander, who is clerk OF the stat;
board of equalization and who has ha,
long experience in taxation matters
was chosen clerk and will assist thu
commission in gathering data and sta
tistics of interest to the commission
in its Investigations.
C%hairman's Statement.
Chairman Schnitger, in addressing
the commission, outlined a part of it:
work in the following words:
Cheyenne, Wyo., March 16, 1908.
To the Commission.
Gentlemen: l take it that the con-
mission will only atteraD. to suggest
such legislature as it within the scopI
of the legislature, and not attempt e
suggest amendments to the constitu
ton.
If we can put into operation meth
eds for taxing property in manner as
is now permitted by the constitution
we will have made a long stride in tn,
right direction and with that idea il
view, will try and make plain to yot
my views on this subject.
Must Have Starting Point.
The question of taxation has been
problematical one for ages and my
limited experience has shown me be
yond question that the human family
has not changed in the last half cen
fury, when it zones to the matter c
returning property for taxation or pay
ing the taxes after they have been as
sessed. You must start somewher;
for a basis, as one taxpayer will shiel,
himself behind his neighbor If ht
thinks he is paying more than his jus
proportion. The same feeling of JUS
LITIGATION exists as between corpora
tons, merchants, farmers or stock
growers. Our state derives its bull
of taxes from the railroads, mines, tie!
egraph and telephone companies an,
ranch interests. The state board o
equalization put a value on railroads
telegraph and telephone lines per mile
on coal mines per ton of coal mine'
and on cattle, horses and sheep pc
head. This value is given every coun
ty and as they have a fixed value o.
these public utilities and live stock
it is left, under the law, to the count,
assessors to find all the cattle, horse
and sheep and place them on the roI
for taxation.
One Rate for Live Stock.
If taxation is made fair and equa.
all cattle, horses and sheep should b
assessed as the state board has flxe,
the value per head, and the amour
cannot be changed.
Now. it is claimed that the tax roI
does not show hat all live stock is a.
sessed. If this be rue a manifest IL
Justice is done those interests wher
the value is fixed and all property the
own is assessed, when other propert
valued on the presumption that all WI
be found and, as a matter of fact,
is shown only one-third or one-fourt
is actually given in by its owner.
All Requirement ITS Not Met.