The Marshall republican., 1909-01-15

wafer power, the u"eNelOpnen Oh our
water highways; the Improvement OF
the conditions of life and the protec-
ton of the health and welfare of our
pople.
Need for More Revenue.
| think II It's apparent to all that we
must have more revenue. During the
last biennial period of a%ppropria-
tions exceeded the revenues of the
state In the sum of S1,4S7,254.24.
According to the estimate made by
the state auditor, the revenues for
the next biennial period will amount
to $8,131, 900, and the amount which
Is asked for the different depart
ment of the state Is S11,714,222
The need for more revenue arises
from the fact that the duties of gov
eminent have increased.
This additional revenue can be Sc
cured in one of three ways: First,
we can change the rate of taxation,
which is fixed by our constitution at
not to exceed Is cents on the 500
valuation, so long as the total as
sessed value of property subject to
taxation exceeds 5000, 600, 900. To
change the tax rate would, of course,
require a constitutional amendment,
and thet would take two years, and
we need more revenue, and need it
now.
Another method would be to re-
quire, under such penalties as TO Sc
cure obedience, the return and as
sessment OF all property at its full
ca. / o market value. That is what
the law now provides for, but the law
is neither observed nor enforced.
by providing proper penalties for
the failure to comply with the law,
which now requires that property
should be assessed and returned at
its full value, an obedience to this
law could be secured. 1t could also
be provided that each county in the
state could levy it's taxes upon such
per cent of the assessed value as
might be necessary for county pur-
poses, and that the state board of
equalization should assess the state
taxes against such portion Of the to-
tai valuation as might be necessary
for state purposes; or, If the tax levy
was made upon the full assessed val
Ne. the various counties would be en-
abled to lower the tax rate.
Another method of increasing the
revenues Is to increase the subjects
or sources OF taxation for state pur-
poses. | suggest the following addi-
tional sources OF subjects of taxation
upon which it would, in my opinion,
be proper to impose a tax for state
purposes: The capital stock of cor
porations; inheritances, the inspec-
ton of spurious liquors; a license
tax against distillers and wholesalers
Of spurious liquors, as well as drug
stores which engage in the sale of
the same.
A state tax for The recording or
filing of mortgages has also been
Suggested, hut as mortgages are now
subject to taxation as personal prop
erty, such a tax would, in my opin-
ion, be clearly unconstitutional.
Reduction Of Expenses.
Wherever iC is possible to de-
crease the expense of carrying on any
department of government, without
impalring its efficiency, such action
should be taken. One particular, at
least, in which the expense of govern
ment may be decreased is in the case
of the expense for criminal costs. Out
Of the state revenues alone there is
expended each biennial period nearly
$4,000 for the expenses incident
to criminal prosecutions.
The entire system of criminal pro-
codure should be slmplified and
while all the essential rights neces-
sary for the protection of the inno-
cent should be preserved, such
changes should be made as will re.
suit in the prompt and certain con-
~vlction of the guilty.
Changes in Judicial System.
1t now requires approximately
three years to secure a decision of
the supreme court in a case appealed
from any of the courts of the state.
This condition is in direct violation
OF the constitution of the state of
Missouri. While the rich man can
afford to wait for the delayed judg-
ment of the court, and, in fact, is
often benefited thereby, to the poor
man, justice delayed is often times
Justice denied.
1t Ia, of course. entireIv trua that