Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-13
MAKE ALL PAY TAX
Supervisor D. w. Matthews of
Milan Says County Income
Would be Enough.
IF ASSESSMENT WERE JUST
Would Let Big Corporations Move
Out of the Community il They
Prefer Alternative.

Milan, May 13.-Editor The Ar
gus: The recent action of the board
of supervisors to place the PROPOSE
ton of a five mill tax on the judicial
ballot, is one that needs serious con-
sideration. This proposition has
been before the voters of this county
twice, viz; in 1906 and 1908, and
has been twice defeated and should
be again We will concede the fact
that the county needs the money and
should have it, but not by plac-
ing an extra burden on the backs
of those who already pay their pro-
portion, but by using the power CIV
en- us by the statutes and assess and
tax the corporations. This would
not only pay the outstanding debts,
but plenty to run the affairs of the
county. The question is raised, that
if we tax the corporations, they will
not stand for it, but will remove
| their plants to more favorable
grounds, where they can carry on
their business without the inconven-
fence of paying taxes.
Would Say 60,
Now, | for one, would say that
| rather than pay their taxes and fur
nish protection for them, | would
say go. Now | want. to tell you, fell
low citizens, when you go to the rec
ords and ascertain just what the
amount of taxes this county receives
| from those immense concerns, it will
| make you tired and when you come
up every year, like a little man and
get your receipt, you can console
yourself that is about as big as that
of the millionaire manufacturer. Now
don't understand that l have any
thing against the corporations, but
simply ask justice that every man
and every institution should pay
their just proportion of taxes and
when this is done, Rock Island coun-
| ty will have plenty of money for ev-
cry legitimate purpose. This happy
state of affairs can be consummated
| if every official will do his duty, from
assessor to board of review.
The trainers of the law allowing
counties to raise u mills or rs
cents on the hundred, builded wisely
rs they could see that the increase
in valuation should keep pace with
| the expenditures, and | make the as.
sertion, that such is the case in this
| county. but when we find that in
1875 we raised $T1,0 in taxes and
| in 1908 we only raised $1,000, g
period Of 33 years, gain Ill taxes
of only $4,000, it makes me imagine
| that somewhere or someplace along
the line there has been 4 miscarriage
, of justice. Listen to me when | tel
you that it is preposterous propo
sition to believe that the increase
in valuation on this county in 3:
years is only sufficient to give u:
| $4,000 in taxes.
| Also Wants Campaign.
1t is proposed to begin a campaign
of education to persuade the vote
that it is his duty to come up to the
|
! vote an extra tax upon himself
think l see him doing it. l too, wan
a campaign of education. | wan
the voter to understand just wher,
that money should come from, no
from those who are already doins
their duty as men and citizens, bu
from those who are skinning through
1 oh hn 11,t
sibilities of taxation upon those VIII,
are less fortunate, financially and ar,
on that account less able to manip
. ulate the powers that be. A fiv
mill tax is so cents on the hundred
the law allows us IS cents on tn
hundred, so you see that our count,
tax will be just two-thirds higher
the proposition carries than it is to
day. To illustrate, if your count
tax this spring was SO, it will be 81
next spring, if $24 it will be $40 an
1 SO on.
In summing up will say, be sur
and vote on Monday, June Z, an
4 vote right, take the time from tn
fields and factories, it is your bus
mess to help straighten out thi
4 tangle. Go before the board of re
view, examine their records and sc
whether 100000 institution ca
skin through on $4,000 basis, Sc
whether 100000 million inst
tuition goes through on or aroun
a $40. 900 basis, which is about IL &
in place of one-ffth, which you pa
upon. ID. w. MATTHEW'S.