Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-15
NO ONE VET ABLE TO FIGURE
OUT WHETHER OR NOT IN.
CREASE Is NECESSARY.
TWO AND oNE.HACF MILLIONS
MUST BE PROVIDED
Sew Motor License and Other Spsci al
Revenues May Make Increase Unnse.
essary-No One Knows How Much
Recent Legislature Expended -
League Tries to Change Public
Sentiment.
oecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines, July 15.-How much will
the state tax levy be raised this year?
That is the question right ahead of the
administration. Perhaps the motor car
licenses, the big license revenue Com
missioner Barney is collecting, and a
few other things will make up enough
! income so that no increase will be
needed. But nobody knows yet.
When the state officers have figured
cut the total Of assessments on railroads
and telephones and have "equalized"
as to personal property and have footed
it all UP. they will make tax levy suf-
ficient to raise $2,500,O00 in one year. 1t
is a simple matter of computation.
There is this much OF discretion pos
sible, however. that account might be
taken of revenues not known to the
legislature or of any misunderstanding
as to the expenditures. Along the line
Of the latter an investigation is being
made now In the state offices to see If
1t is really true that two and a half
million ought to be raised by direct
taxation.
Nobody seems to know just how
much money was spent in the bills that
Governor Carroll signed last winter
and spring. The nearest approach to
any estimate is that which was made
just after the legislature closed and
was included in this correspondence
But some of the state officers are not
quite willing to accept the figures, as
computed by the writer. as final. 1t is
recalled that the estimate showed be-
tween $1,000, 900 and $4,000 900 appro-
priated.
Strange as 1t may seem nobody In
official position has had the heart to
try to figure it out up to the present
time. The governor made an estimate
which showed nearly 100000, but it
is hard to figure out Now the execu-
tive council has set the computers is
the office of auditor of state and
treasurer of state to work to find out
just about how much money was spent.
1t will not be an easy task for many Of
the appropriations are contingent and
much or little may be used, and others
are decidedly obscure. But anyway 1t
is desirable that somebody should fig
ure 1t out as nearly as possible, and
now that the session laws are printed
this can be done.
One way OF keeping down the tax
levy would be by greatly increasing the
total Of taxable values. Two years ago
decided cut in the tax levy was made
by an increase of millions of dollars In
the total Of assessments on real es-
tate. No such great increase had been
made before in many years. Whether
nor not it can be done the same way
this year is a problem which confronts
the state officers.
In case the threat "mandamus" pro-
ceedings against state officers to COM
pei them to boost assessments brings
results. that would have the effect of
cutting down the state tax levy; but
1t is not anticipated anything more will
come of this than little agitation.
Agitation Is to be commenced at once
on behalf Of the Iowa League Of Munic-
qualities to compel a public sentiment
that will back up the plan of having
a larger proportion Of the taxes on
railroads, telegraphs. telephones and
car companies paid in the cities and
towns and q corresponding smaller
proportion in the rural districts. This
will be opposed by the rallroads ana
the farmers, for here is one place where
they can easily get together. The whole
matter was threshed out before the
legislature last winter and a full his
tory Of the system and laws given. The
present system had its origin a good
many years ago when the railroads
joined with the farmers in effec,ing
complete revolution in the system and
established a method that will give the
railroads lower taxes and the farm
taxing districts more of it.
It is understood that the league is
figuring on employing attorneys to go
into court and have the members of
tho executive council hauled up for
failure to sufficiently raise the assess
ments. Certiorari proceedings are
contemplated to compel the governor
and others to tell just how they arrive
at the assessment they shall make. The
effect would be. according to persons
interested. to show that the council is
derelict in its duty.
Frank Pierce, Of Marshalltown, has
taken an active part in the movement
thus far and 1t is said will continue.
George Wilson has been engaged as at
torney for the league.
Members Of the board Of control who
travel about the state a great deal say
that the crops Of northeastern Iowa
are in excellent condition, that the re-
cent rains in northern Iowa have helped
out materially but that the greatest
damage by the drouth has been done
in the southern and southwestern part
Of the state. 1t Is anticipated that the
state weather and crop report next
week will show more encouragement.
- g.
Attorney General cosson is Of the
opinion that the law Of Iowa forbidding
branch banks will cut out the little de-
posit stations which some savings
banks have established In the state and
compel all banking for each and every
bank to be done at the main office.
Algona News Briefs.
Special to Times Republican,
Tel