The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-01-07

included the local dlsptnsarY, ! there
closed, since which date. the District
Court OF Logan County has held that said
Article / was not repealed | directed an
appeal from the decision Of said District
Court 10 the Supreme Court where the
case is stlli pending. and | have refused
to re-open the local dlspenaaries until
the supreme Court shall have decided the
case. and 1 especially express TO you the
hope that the Will Of the people shall be
respected Ia an matters OF government.
/ want TO asst 'e this honorable body
as well as the people OF the state that
local public officers must have the active
support Of the law abiding people Of the
community before just complaint can he
made for the failure Of the local Officers
70 fully succeed In the discharge Of their
duties
believe that on the whole. II may
properly be said that the enforcement Of
prohibition has proved 1t practicable and
that with greater effort and popular sup
port the enforcement OF this law can be
AS complete as other misdemeanor ana
criminal statutes.
/ hope your honorable body viii look
into this question and provide proper as
sistance and relief for these courts.
II will be remembered that Senate Bill
No. 6l. .as Il finally passed eliminated all
provisions originally contemplated glVlne
the governor any degree Of power IN the
matter Of enforcement further than @
encourage and advise local officers. This
we have done with the utmost energy and
feel that II the governor ls 70 be held
responsible by the people Of the state for
law enforcement such responsibility can
only Justly attach II he Is given reason
able powers Of enforcement
Taxation
IN our state. as we'll as IN every other
civilized government. the burden Of the
cost OF government Is an important con-
sidcratlon Our people want public im-
proyements, additional facilities, peace
and order maintained, and other matters
OF public interest or necessity. provided
and conducted. In great state. this
means a volume OF money. and therefore
taxation OF our people and property.
The first principle Of taxation is equity.
Let all classes Of property and sources Of
profit contribute their equal ana Just
share TO the cost OF government Our last
legislature provided various sources or
revenue, direct taxation, license fees,
franchise gross revenue. Inheritance and
other measures. and your state Board q
Assessors and Equalization has exercised
It's best judgement for the current year.
IN the assessment Of railroad and other
public service corporations, IL was the
opinion Of the Board that the former
assessment in oklahoma Territory had
been far below the average Of private
property In general. and while public SER
vice corporation property had the pre-
viOus year, IN Oklahoma Territory, been
valued at sum total equal 70 one
seventh Of all taxable property, In the
opinion OF the state Board, this year.
the valuation OF public service corporation
property was raised greater In proportion
than the valuation Of other private tax
able property. so that this year the public
service corporations in addition 20 other
gross income and special privilege tax.
will be two-sevenths OF the general taxes
OF the state on an ad valorem basis
The State Board believes that no in
justice was done the corporation property
even I'm this great increase OF valuation.
as will be found by considering the net
rsFif
and from the further fact that out OF an
OF the vast number Of public service cor
p0rations, only tw0-namely the western
Union telegraph Company and the Pull
man Palace Car COmpany-appeaied from
the valuation fixed by the State Board.
The State Board levied by direct taxa
tiOn, only one and one-Quarter mills on
the dollar. for state purposes. We be-
ieved that a rigid enforcement Of the
gross income and other special privilege
taxes. fully warranted this low per cent
OF direct taxation for state purposes and
that with a few years further develop
ment OF the state. the state government
will be able from year to year. TO de-
crease the per cent OF taxation Tor state
purposes.
AS to the gross production tax. the act
Of the first legislature was necessarily an
/ experiment. and time only could demon
strate whether or not injustice. IN the
! form Of double taxation. had been impos-
/ ed upon any class Of property. strong
I appeal was made to the legislature 70
exempt oil from the gross production tax.
upon the ground among other reasons,
! that such a large volume of the oil pro
dueton would be found on hand at the
annual assessment date. and required TO
pay the regular ad valorem taxes; that.
therefore. It would not be subject to an
additional gross production tax. At that
| time in my communication to the legis-
| lature. it will be found that suggested
| that If this claim proved true. the future
| legislature could be depended upon to
] 4Ft.ft~ fH4.# nd "a
| Justly with the question. In pursuance
! thereof | recommend that your honor
able body do investigate. with view TO
ascertaining whether Injustice IS beinI
done to this class of property. and II YOU
/ find that injustice results. YOU viii GER
tainiy create strictly equitable conditions
in this regard, as we'll as In any other in
equities that may exist IN the department
EVERY ITEM or PROPERTY AND
| SOURCE OF PROFIT NOT SPECIALLY
ExEMT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE STATE. sHoULD BEAR ITS
AND NO LESS.
Excessive Taxation.
Just rs the State Government has had
1 its unusual burdens incident to the or
| ganizatiOn of this new State, so have the
| county and district authorities, particu-
larly in the forty counties Of former In
| dian Territory had even greater duties
| and embarrassments TO contend with.
They began Statehood without local Or
| ganization, and In many Instances, with
out former experience. The State laws
were in a chaotic condition. and the great
est possible difficulty confronted local Off
| GERS from the indefinite character and un-
certainty of our laws and the seeming
4 conflict between inherited Oklahoma Ter
4 ritorv laws and the new laws passed by
/ the last legislature; as a result. in many
/ school districts, townships, Incorporated
/ towns and counties. the constitutional
1 limitations on tax levies We're over look
| ed and the necessities of tax money for
/ the conduct of local affairs were over esti-
/ mated. so that IN numerous parts of our
/ State. district and county levies We're
made in excess of the constitutional lim-
/ itations; also. in many eases, where
within the constitutional limitations. the
/ levies were excessive, because they COW
cred subjects or provided a much greater
sum OF money than local necessities re-
| qured
On account Of complaints as to excess
sive taxation, | began some six weeks
ago. a careful investigation and called
upon the State Examiner and Inspector
| to aid in the investigation. and an effort
| to relieve the tax payers from these ex-
| cessive levies. This investigation con-
vinces me that the department of the
| State Examiner and Inspector can be of
inestimable benefit to the tax payers by
being, by proper legislation, brought in
/! direct connection with the revenue de-
partment OF the state, and made a part
| of the necessary machinery controlling
taxation. The State Inspector and EN-