The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-02-02
THE LEGISLATURE
GETTING BUSY
Bill introduced Creating Permanent
Tax Commission Of 3 Members.
BOARD MAY FURNISH CLOTHING
Goodykoontz Objects to Excess Fare
Being Paid on Trains-Saunders
Provides a Way for Taxing
Railway Terminals.

Des Moines, Feb. Especial: Sen
ator Allen introduced in the senate
resolution memoralizing congress
to use its efforts % prevent the rati-
fication of the Canadian reciprocity
agreement.
Representative Moore, of Linn
county, introduced a bill this fore
noon giving boards of education au-
thority 20 purchase clothing for
needy and INDECENT attendants at
schools the same as they. may now
furnish free text books. The meas
ure has the endorsement of charita-
bic organizations OF Cedar Rapids.
Representative GoodykoontZ in the
house today introduced new bill in
railway legislation, providing that no
excess fare shall be charged when
fare is paid aboard a train when the
amount of fare is under twenty-five
cents. Where excess is paid re-
ceipts shall be given redeemable at
any railway Office of the company.
The most impor ant railway legis-
laton offered today was by Senatar
Saunders, of Pottawattamie county,
in the senate, and Representative
GoodykoontZ, of Boone county, in The
house, in bill that provides for the
taxation of the extensive railway
terminals in cities. The cities have
heretofore had no way of making
the collections of axes.
The house today passed the joint
resolution of the senate memorable
ing congress to provide for a consti-
tutional amendment providing for an
income tax law. The vote was 80
40 0.
Representative Cunningham, of Bue-
ma Vista county, introduced this fore
noon bill furnishing any person
who has in his possession licen-
tious book. ........,.
The senate passed the bill raising
legislators salaries to $1,000.
The house this forenoon passed
the Stoddard bill prohibiting the ex.
hibition of any deformed, idiotic and
abnormal person in any public place.
Tax Commission.
Senator Spaulding and Representa-
tive Sherman introduced in the Iowa
legislature a bill providing for the
creation of a permanent tax commits
sion of three members to be appointed
by the governor, not more than TWO
of which shall belong to the same po-
litical party, and approved by the SEN
ate of the general assembly. These
81, tn hn
cording to the provisions OF the meas
ure, a salary of $4,000 per year. The
bill provides for the concentration OF
al, authority relative to taxation I'M
der the supervision of this board.
Among other things 1t removes the
power of fixing valuations for taxation
from the executive council and gives
il to this commission. The commits
sion is given the widest possible
scope, has power to subpoena Wit
nesses, investigate the accuracy OF as
sessments, call together and direct
county assessors, to design and install
throughout the state systematic meth
DDS of keeping tax books and to study
and recommend to the legislature
such new laws as are deemed advis'
able for the betterment of the state
relative to taxation.
Judge Mccoy is Heard.
Judge Ben Mccoy of Oskaloosa Is
one of the tax ferrets of the state who
is bending every effort to defeat the
bill to abolish the Office of tax ferrets,
which measure has passed the house
and is now pending before the senate.
Judge Mccoy appeared before the
ways and means committee of the SEN
ate and is also devoting considerable
time with members of the senate III
his campaign against the bill.
Judge Mccoy has prepared great
mass of statistics showing the taxes
collected in counties where the ferrets
have worked and the taxes collected
in counties where the ferrets have not
been employed. He also submits state
ments from county auditors OF the
state for whom tax ferrets have work
ed.
II is Judge McCoy's contention, and
he produces statements and figures to
back up his claims, that in counties
where there have been no tax ferrets
there has, been no apDreciable increase
in the listing of taxable property or in
the collection of taxes, whereas in
counties where the ferrets have oper-
ated there has been great increase in
collections and considerable more
property has been voluntarily listed.
-
ONE THOUSAND DIE DAILY.