The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-01-07

- NANWNf | u fMNHHNM|NH NNN i'm I'VE
franchise. gross exnnun. inArfltanc1 nnt
other measures. nnd V0uf state Hoard 81
Assessors and E4uAllEotlon has exercised
it, best judgement for the earrent yeas.
IN the assessment OF railroad and other
public service corporations. was the
opinion o. the noard thai the former
aA4csaInAnt IN Ohtahoma Territory has
been far below the average OF private
property IN general and while public ser.
vice corporation property had the pre-.
vlous year. "a oklahoma Territory, been
Z valued az a sum total equal ~ one
seventh OF all taxable property m fhf
opinion Of the State Board, his year,
the valuation ef public service corporation
property was raised areater IN proportion
than the valuation OF other private tax
able property, 40 that this year the public
serNieo corporations Ia addition 10 other
gross iucome a special privilege tax.
VIII be two-seventRs &c the general taxes
Of the state pn an ad valorem basis.
The State Bonrd believes that no In
1gstlce was done The corporation property
even In this great Increase Of valuation,
a. Will he found BY c~onsiGSrlna the net
earnings q these various corporations,
and from the further fact that out Of an
o. me vast number III public service ror-
purationH. only twp-aAmcly the Western
Union Telegraph Company and the pull
man Palace Car C0mrany-appenlcd from
The valuation used hy me state Board
The state Board levied by direct taxa
ton. only one and nnesqunrtcr mills on
the dollar, for state purposes. We De-.
NeVed that a rigid enforcement Of the
gross Income and other special privilege
taxes. fluffy warranted this low lrr cent
~ direct taxation for state purposes. and
that with d few years further develops
mcnt OF the state, the state government
VIII be able from year 10 Year. 10 de-
crease the per cent Of taxation for state
purposes.
AZ 10 the aross production tax. the act
~ the first Legislature WAS necessarily an
experiment. and tlme only could damon
stratc whether Oh not injustice. IN the
form Of double taSaiion had been imp0s-
ed upon any class 0t property. a strong
appeal was made to lie legislature Il
exempt oil from the grOss production tax,
lpon the ground among other reasons.
that such ntlafge volume OF the oil pro-
duction would he found on hand NJ the
annual assessment date, and required ia
pay the regular ad val0rcm taxes; that,
therefore, II would not be subject 10 nn
additional gross production tax. At that
time. In my communication 20 the legis-
lntlre. Il VIII be found that suggested
that II this claim proved true, Us future
legislature could be depended up0n to
carefully investigate the fact and deal
Justly with the question. IN pursuance
thereof, | recommend that Your honor
able body DO investigate, with q View %
ascerlalnlnR whether injustice Is beina
done TO this class of property, and II you
find that Injustice results. YOU Will Ger.
talnly create strictly equitable conditions.
In this regard. MS well AZ Ia any other IN
equities that may exist In The department
EVERY ITEM or Property ANn
SOURCE or PROFIT NOT SPECIALLY
E%EMT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
or THE STATE SHOULD BEAR IT'S
FAIR SHARE OF TAXES; NO MORE.
AND NO LESS.
Excessive Taxation.
So a.. 49, 49,
Its unusual burdens Incident 20 tie or
ganlxation OF this new state. 80 have tho
county and district authorities, parlicu-
larry In the forty counties Of former In
dian Territory had even greater duties
and etnharr0ssmene to contend with.
They began Statehood without local or
SANITATION, and In many Instances. With
out former experience. The State laws
were IN n chaotic condition, and the grent-
est posihlN difficulty confronted local ofi-
from the indefinite character and an-
certainty OF our avs and the seeming
conflict between Inherited Oklahoma Ter
rit0rv laws and the new laws passed hy
the last legislatures AZ "a result, ia manA
districts, townships. Incorporated
towns ana counties the constitutional
limitations on tex ieviea were over look.
ed and the necessities Of tax money for
the conduct Of local afairs were over esits
mated, 50 that IN numerous parts % our
state, district md county lfNies were
made In excess OF the constitutional linz
itatonsi also. IN many eases, where
the constitutional limitations. The
were excessive. because they Gov
cred subjects or provided a much greater
o. money than local necessities re-
qulred.
on account of complaints rs ID exces.
slve taxation, ! began some SIX weeks
ago, a careful investigation and called
upon the State Examiner and Inspector
- Md IN the Investigation. and an EFFORT
70 relieys re tax pnsefp from these ex-
vinces me TINT thn department 81 the
State Examiner and Inspector can be Of
lncstlmable benefit 10 The tax payers rs
aeinR, BIZ proper legislation, brought ia
direct connection with the revenue de-
81 the necessary machinery controlling
The State inspeFl1F and En-
lminers Department haa now al my rc
1ucst, .wo OF rs special examiners Ia the
lell aiding and ADVISING county and
district authorities I'd the reduction OF
where nHcehacs exist.
IN this connection, ! want further "a !
HecnHfmcuu an immediate emergency Act
Intending Me time beyond January 18th
or tie payment 81 the FIRST hall II ire
lellef that Individual tax PAYERS should
be relieved o. ihn burden of EMPLOYING
heir own lawyers Gaa itiRatinH To pro-
.ect themselves against the payment of
hNNHHNNE fNHFHf HNWN fNIH INIL NNN pure
losc Of sowing this individual expense 81
awytr's fees and other costs, bat rnlice-
NIX iacal courts of The Vns1 multitude ~
sulta THAT would grow aHt Of OK
taxation II authorities Of the
ilale did not Intervene and aid IN ror.
fectine the excessive tax ievies.
AZ thin point The Rpvprnaf briefly men. !
the 0fteiHl reports Of tie v~arinna
tate uificcra and matfs recommendations
n regard thereto.
First Year
Summing up The first year Of state gov
We hef 70 remind your hnnnr-
lhle bDdy and our people. that gour public
'1ieerA have had beyond question. The
most difficult undertaking ever experience
"a 70 The organization o. a new state.
The unusual experience Of forming one
rate out % Two territories Widely dlnNr.
re IN Territories i4wa and eNr 4iifnus
you'd Of Itself, present many difficulties,
lut when We contemplate that ono ~
nfse territories had Hp territorial fufm
government no county. no township
u school district organization, lhat forty
'oupfles carved out Of that n~norEanixed
errttory began thair county government
u the day ul statehood. that not one Of |
heae forty enunties had aus o%rnaHlxas
or money 10 conduct their husInessf |
the entire first year u statehood
ND mere. would hasH % eiapee hnfafe
here would be = eath q the county
n district treasury thereof. ether than
borrowed money! that, ~ addition 10
hose unusual conditions, with = million
4 half Of people ana more than a
iiii0n dollars Of property values % cree
" 4 contention Incident 10 such vast
conditions the first year Of statehood
la8 certainly had ~ trials and trlbula=
Ions for Az public officials. and yes the
Of the state and On the coantisu
la9 been maintained 81 q high standard.