The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1911-10-18

some Ct the Dig railroads. DIS dppl oio-
ed by the Ohio Tax Commission, COM
posed Of Judge R. NJ. Dittey. F. E.
Mum and Christian Pabst, all ap-
pointed by Governor Harmon:
1910. 1911.
Pennsylvania
Lines 80. .s53,71S.6S7 s1S4.s3s.o4o
New York
Central Les 41,2s5, ,606 III 17,S62,o54
Baltimore and
Ohio. ..... 1s,s73,4so so.sss.5s2
Wheeling and
Laks Erie. 7,s2s,2Os 2s.so4,71z
Norfolk and
western -. 7.o17,s5s 22,sss,22
Hooking Val
lev .7,427,06s 2e,S11.23o
Other corporate property was
placed on the tax duplicate for much
more The increases to properties OF
electric light companies aggregate
s21,256,443;; the traction lines were
raised from s15,O00,000 to $6S 10000;
the property of pine line companies
was increased s24,619,50o, the Buck
eye Pipe Line Co. (Standard OiD was
raised from s4,635,OO0 to s2S,cS1, sos;
the capital stock Of banks, which is
subject to taxation, was increased
s94,4e1,952, and s6,3S1,037 was added
to the property of waterworks. union
depot, artificial gas and heating and
cooling companies.
The high appraisals were all made
by the State Tax Commission. For
many years Ohioans had been striV-
ing for a revision of tax laws so as to
get Il E hidden millions of corporate
prone ty on the tax duplicate, but
no other governor had the courage to
20 after this property. Notwithstand-
ing these enormous increases to their
property, the corporations feel that
they have no just grounds for COM
plairt and are submitting without
protest. The corporations, as we'll as
all ether interests, realize they have
been Justly dealt with. They have
been emancipated from the domlna-
ton of local political bosses, Ill whose
power they have been for decade,
and will no longer have to furnish
contributions, under penalty Of prac-
ticaI ccnfscation of their profit through
unjust rates and valuations.
With tax duplicates increased by
proper valuations and additions, 1t
was feared that the millions Of dol
lars of extra money which would be
available every year would be squan-
dered for needless things by public Of
fcers. ....
But Governor Harmon overcame
this danger by securing the passige
of a. law making one per cent the
maximum tax rate fer every taxing
district. This law also places rigid
limit on the aggregate amount OF
money that can be expended by pub
lie. officers, thus preventing e1trava-
gance. It provides that no more
money shall be expended in Ohio in
1911 by public offices than was spent
in 1910. A definite scale OF percent
ages for increases is prescribed for
the following three years, after which
new scale will he fixed by the leg
islature.
During the past decade the popula-
ton of Ohio increased l4.5 per cent,
the tax duplicate only 35 Per cent while
the amount Of money raised fer taxa
ton mounted at the rate of 6S per
cent. Expenditures of the taxpayers
money increased at the rate of S4.-
O27.2E3.64 year. But provision in
the one rer cent tax rate Law, limit
ing the expenditures in 1911 to what
the aggregate was in 1910, saved the
taxpayers s. OFT ,243,64.
What has been most pleasing to the
taxpayers IS reduction from to l
per cent in the tax rate. Wnlie real
estate has been placed on the dupli-
cate for considerable more, the in
creases to this class of property are
not so large as were those to other
property, and as result under the
low rate farmers will pay less and
corporations more taxes. Real estate
owners in 1910 paid SAo,s"0,098.74
taxes. while ir 1911 under the l per
cent rate trev will pay S42,464,285.69.
This wo:k Ct the governor las won
for him tie united support of progress
sive Democrats in Ohio. His most
enthusiastic supporter is United
| States Senator Atlee Pomerene, for
many years a great admirer of Will
liam Jennings Bryan. Edmond H.
.doore of youngstoR n, for many years
E.. radical Democrat, who came within
| few votes of capturing the entire
Ohio delegation for progressive
Democrat when old-time leaders were
lining up delegates for Alton B. Par
ker in 1904, is now In the Harmon
camp. Newton D. Baker. Democratic
| nominee for mayor Of Cleveland and
political heir Of the late Tom L.
Johnson, had resolution endorsing
| Governor Harmon adopted by the
| Cuyahoga county Democracy. shortly
| hofore Tom 7, Johnson's death and