The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-08


\ Press: The state board of equalization
is in session this week and the chances
are that there win be a general tend
ency to keep down values and assess
ments, because of the short crop in the
state and the desire to curtail public
expenses wherever possible. Some OF
the counties have taken the lead in this
particular, and have cut off all unnec-
essary appropriations, in some cases
making reductions of a good many
thousand dollars in the total of tax
| collections.
The state tax has never been the
burden that county and city taxes
have been in this state. The maxi
mum levy for state purposes is four
mills, and this has not been levied for
number of years. the levy being s.5
mills. Then there is a mill tax for state
educational purposes that takes care of
the state educational institutions, the
! appropriation increasing with the in
crease of the valuation of the state.
| This tax is arbitrarily fixed at mill,
and produces about a quarter of a mill
lion dollars annually, which, with the
interest and income from the lands be-
them in pretty good shape Large
specific appropriations for buildings
and improvements are made by each
legislature, and all things considered,
the STAGE makes liberal provision for
its institutions, considering their num-
Der and the demands incumbent upon
the rapid growth and increase Of popu-
lation of the state.
Expenses Increase Rapidly.
The ordinary expenses of the state
have increased pretty rapidly in the
last decade, and have kept pace with
the increase in the asseSsable valua-
ton Of the state. Boards and depart
ments have been operated, and in
creased. The state has gone in for a
number Of charges and additions that
involve expense. There are always
many avenues in legislative activity
for the out-go of money. And with
each two years of administration, TAX
ing into account the increased reve-
nues from departments and the in
creased sum raised from taxation, the
state treasury plays just about even.
There are no large corporation tax
payers in the state aside from the
railroads, which pay from a sixth to
a seventh of the total tax of the state.
The secretary of states office turns
In considerable sum through corpo-
ration fees. The department of insur-
ance pays also considerable sum into
the state treasury from the tax on in
surance companies which is collected
through the state insurance depart
ment. And there are some odds and
ends OF fees from various departments
that help swell the total receipts.
State Economically Run.
OF the expenditures, more money is
paid by the state for the various edu-
cational institutions and for general
educational purposes than for perhaps
any other single purpose. Fees and
salaries of officials always tage gen
erous sum, and the salaries of supreme
and district courts, boards, mantle
nance of penal and charitable institu-
tions, transportation of prisoners and
insane and various other incidental
expenses, melts away the revenues On
the whole, however, the state Is ais
always has been economically run, as
states go. In the twenty-one years of
statehood there has not been an adj
ministrative scandal worth the name,
and have been no leakages of revenues
into other than legitimate channels.
The states obligations have always
been promptly met, and even now
there is plenty OF money in the treas
ury to take up all the outstanding
Indebtedness of the state and finance
1t through the state school fund, IL the
bonds were due and could be retired.
A great share of the municipal bonds
of the state are bought for the state
school fund, as well as county and
school district bonds, and the state
gets a 4 per cent interest that Is APP
portioned to the common schools of the
state. Thus the money that is paid out
by the municipalities and districts
goes to the maintenance of public
schools and reduces school taxation to
that extent. And the permanent
school fund is constantly growing and
affording bigger revenue to the COM
mon schools. 1t all speaks we'll for
the wisdom of the constitution makers
in effectually guarding the school en-
dowment OF land and making the
funds arising from the sale of lands
perpetual and secure.
Prepare for Roosevelt.
The Roosevelt reception at Fargo
next month promises to eclipse any
former appearance of the former pres-
ident, who spent part of several hunt
ing seasons in the territory back in the
early eighties" Roosevelt is always
live topic in the state. and the state
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