The Detroit times., 1910-04-28
.HElME WOULD
ABOLISH STATE TAX
Lenawee Statesman Tells How En-
penses Could Be Cut and
Revenue Boosted.

A few plain, unvarnlsned uu'hS
about the state of Michigan. not ones
right on the bat. were passed OUT oy
the honorable Jim" Helme, Lena~ee
statesman. lawyer, editor, banhei anu
farmer, In an address on Inc 'a a.N
specter," before the Detroit Cieul'
Mems association, in the PohtchaI,
train. Tuesday night. He advocated
the abolition OF the state TAX ana toid
how he would accomplish H.
"This year We have several cahdl'
dates for governor. said ne. lhey
are going around the state teilins you
what ails Michigan and promising 10
remedy her ills in the event Oh ther
election But they don't tell you how.
New, I'm not candidate. SO | am
free to tell you how ! would go about
Al.
believe the state tax ought TO
be abolished entirely. Other states
have done It.. and IL could be done
here. The situation resolves itself
into two very simple business PRO-
positions: Where can we cut down
expenses? and How can We Increase
our revenues?
Tine present state tax is about S4.-
20 per cent, or about ss6s,SS3. Now.
taking up the first proposition. where
can be cut down expenses? In 1908
the state appropriated s155,SOO for
military purposes. The state was
amply protected in 1900 with an ap.
preparation of $S9.665, and believe
100000 could be cut from the sum
asked this year without injury TO the
states interests
THE agricultural college approprla-
ton could be cut $4,000 For many
years this college did not draw dol
lar from the state and got along very
nicely with the federal appropriation
and The income il derives from land
donated by the government. For the
University of Michigan. S663,2SI was
appropriated i'm 1905. Out OF 5000
students in the university, 2,230 OF
them come from other states and for
eign countries. Why? Because the
University OF Michigan charges them
a tuition fee of only S55 as against
$3.50 charged by other institutions or
the same standing.
1T is a grand philanthropy for the
state OF Michigan 10 undertake 10 edu-
cate the whole world, but II is not
good business. | don't believe we can
afford TO bid $50 a head for the priv
elege of educating Japs and Chinese
at the expense Of the people OF the
state The appropriation for the
state college OF mines could also be
cut $4,000.
Next | would abolish a lot of use
less offices. | would abolish the Of
fice OF commissioner of mines which
was created as a sort of compliment
to the Upper Peninsula when IL saved
the day for Gov Alger on one occa-
sion. | would abolish the state oil and
salt inspection departments and the
fire waTdens. The oil inspectors were
created years ago, when gasoline was
a waste product and the tendency was
TO mix gasoline with kerosene Since
then the auto has come and We are
paying lot OF inspectors fat salaries
TO climb upon oil wagons 10 see tnat
John ID. Rockefeller is not mixing 3''
cent gasoline with l5-cent kerosene
Salt inspection is farce. and the fre
wardens are useless.
Now. by the means ! have outlined
we could raise $3.500.000 of our 81
00O. 900 tax We could easily make up
the balance by increasing the iran
chise fees of corporations, increasing
the tax on life Insurance companies,
by levying a specific tax on the output
OF our mines and by consolidating the
boards of control nf our elemoysonary
institutions | would also tax the pro
LESSONS. There are a lot OF useless
lawyers for instance. Let them con-
tribute $25 to $50 apiece to the state.
An interesting discussion followed
Mr.. Helme's talk. which made de-
cided hit with the credit men.
The association authorized the eX-
ecutive committee 10 select delegates
TO attend the national convention In
New Orleans in May and the delega-
ton was authorized 10 invite the con
vention to come TO Detroit IN 1911.