The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-10

in the matter, States attorney Bangs
showed that it would be practically
impossible to pass such law or to
place 1t in operation. 1t would serve
to act against all lines of business,
and in illustrating the point he showed
that the woman who went into a store
and purchased :, piece of dress goods
might later find that the tax on it had
not been paid, and under such a law
she would be liable for the same.
Several of the commissioners smoke
of methods that had been adopted in
various counties to enforce the COL
lection of delinquent taxes. Percent
ages had been voted to the sheriffs
making the collections, and in several
instances this method had been en-
ployed with a great deal of success.
After the discussion Of the personal
property tax the question box was
opened, Mr.. Bangs acting as the con-
ductor.s Several important questions
were raised in this manner, and all
were discussed more or less.
One matter that came up was that
OF the fees in county Offices. Some
county officers In the state were shown
to have retained certain fees, and in
answer to. the question as to the legal
ity of such action 1t was shown that
1t was clearly contrary to law.
Another question raised was that
of the taxation of cattle that were
allowed to range on reservations, but
which were owned by residents Of the
county. 1t was advised that such cat
tie should be and could be assessed.
The question box took up the entire
time Of the convention till the ad-
journment for the noon hour
Wednesday Afternoon Session.
The Wednesday afternoon session
proved to be a remarkably interesting
one owing to the Importance of the
subjects that were brought up for
consideration. Addresses were deliv-
cred by T. R. Bangs, A. I. Hunter,
Dean Crouch and Miss Grace Topping,
all of which bore upon questions in
which the commissioners found their
interests were prominent.
The address by Mr.. Bangs was on
the subject of the collection of per-
sonal property taxes. He advocated
the passage of some law whereby the
failure of a person to make the pay
ment of personal property taxes would
serve to he a continual bar to him in
some way--a bar that. would prevent
him from doing just the thing that
he wanted to do. An opportunity of
carrying this plan out. he said, was
found at the polls. where every. man
wishing to vote could be compelled
to show his poll tax receipt before
being allowed to cast his ballot.
The present arrangements of assess
ment he said were very crude. and
should be remedied greatly. A law
which allows lands in Mckenzie coun-
ty to be assessed at So an acre and
those of the eastern end of the state
at S. an acre. is not a good one, and
some system should be devised where
by an equitable distribution Of the
taxes would be brought about.
President A. I. Hunter and Dean
Crouch spoke Of the good roads work,
subject i'll which the commissioners
are also interested. Mr.. Hunter told
of his own personal. experiences in
road building work, and: gave some
suggestions as to methods that had
been employed with success. In his
address Dean Crouch gave great
deal of valuable information concern
ing the work of the government in
road work, and of the benefits that all
were entitled to share from it.
Miss Grace Topping. of the Florence
Crittenten home at Fargo. was the
last speaker Of the day. She asked
that the commissioners give the home
all the support possible, as the work
of the home was state wide in it's
effect t.e