davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
Basis of Valua-
ton for Taxa
ton Purposes

or because he will be an easy mark
for influential tax dodgers. Men of
this type soon discover that the surest
way to remain long in office is to be
"easy" and accommodating" and
above all to keep the assessment OF
their district down to the lowest pos
.sible point. The inevitable outcome
of course, is a low assessment
Another strong factor in lowering the
standard of assessment can be easily
traced to the overzealous desire on
the part of many boards of equaliza
ton to keep the assessment of their
constituents just a little below their
neighbors. And all of these forces
working together have so complete.
| ly undermined the law that there is
little left but the ink with which ii
| is printed.
AS nearly as 1878 it was apparent
to the legislature that assessors were
not enforcing the law and they passed
an act providing, among other things,
that each year, before beginning their
work they should meet at the office
of the county auditor for conference
with him in regard to their duties.
While the manifest purpose of this
law was to aid in bringing the as
sessment up to the legal standard,
in actual practice it has worked just
the reverse. Evidently constituting
it as giving them power to do about
as they pleased in assessing proper
ty it has been the well-nigh universal
'practice for assessors at these meet
ings, in direct violation of the law
requiring that all property shall be
assessed at it's true and full value"
to adopt resolutions embodying agree
ments to assess different kinds
and classes of property in different
ways and at different rates.
In nearly all of the counties these
resolutions provide that certain spec
flied classes of personal property
shall be assessed at so much per
article and different kinds and class
es of live stock at so much per head.
The result being that a piano
worth $500 is assessed the same as
one worth $780, and a horse worth
$500 at no more than one worth $40.
After providing in this way for the
assessment of certain selected class
es and kinds of property the resolu-
tions usually contain a residuary
clause providing that all other prop
erty shall be assessed at a certain
designated per cent of it's real value.
These percentages range in the diff
ferent counties all the way from rs
to so per cent of real value. In no
county is all classes of property as
sessed at the same per cent of true
and full value" and in several
counties all lands are assessed at the
same rate per acre regardless of
value.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
LURE OF THE PIE COUNTER.

st. Cloud Journal-Press: The sell
announced progressives of Minneso
ia, to speak candidly, are open to
the criticism that they are so hun.
cry for office that they are losing
sight of principle
There is at present a wild scram-
BILE for official pie, and so eager is
this rush. that they are not only in.
wiling their own destruction, but also
that of the cause they profess to
hold so dear.
There are some four of these pro-
gressive candidates for governor,
wrangling among themselves, and all
indirectly working for the nominal
ton of Governor Eberhart-all can
didates for the republican nomina-
ton, while announcing that they will
support the presidential candidates
OF another party. The result will
be, of course, that they will all
meet merited defeat in their selfish
refusal to put aside their own ambi-
ton for the good of the cause. These
candidates seem to be governed by
an insane frenzy for office. Not one
OF them has patriotism enough to
put his advertised principles above
the lure for office.
Their professions Of principle be-
come a mockery and a derision in
their mad scramble for the pie coun.
ter
III these candidates for governor.
and other offices, are sincerely and
honestly in favor of progressive prin.
ciples they should get together and
make some seeming sacrifice-we say
seeming sacrifice, because in reality
they will make no sacrifice at all as
they will all go down to defeat on
September II. By agreeing to sun
port one of the candidates for gov
ernor, and for the others to with.
draw and work for the one left in
the field. either Lee, Gordon or Young
could be nominated. With the pres.
ent field of six to remain in the mi.
mary race. Governor Eberhart will
surely be nominated.
We mitch fear that the lure of tho
pie counter is stronger than the love
of principle.
NO great moral cause was ever
won through individual selfishness.
The greatest handicap to the So
called progressive party at this time
is the selfish unreasonableness of its
self named leaders.
The people as yet have taken lit
tie hand In state politics, but the
average voter stands for fair play,
and he can tell a patriot from an
ambitious officeseeker.
The Journal-Press as a progressive
paper, believes in the principles
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
ROOSEVELT AND THE TRUSTS


Senator Bob La Toilette delivered
a forceful speech in the upper house
OF. congress Friday. Among other
things he said:
"On the day that Theodore Roose
welt was made president of the
United States there were 149 trusts
and combinations in the United
States. When he turned this govern
ment over to William Howard Taft
there were 10000 plants in combna.
ton.
When he became president the
trusts had an aggregate capitalize
ton of $3,OOO,OOO,OOO, and when he
left the presidency they had an ag
gregate capitalization of $31,OOO,OOO,-
900, and more than 20 per cent of il
was water.
Their power has gone on growing
and spreading. There has been nc
elimination in the present admins
tration. The present administration
has sought to apply the Sherman an
thrust law more vigorously than its
predecessor; but the time to have
applied the Sherman antitrust law
effectively was in the infancy OF
these trusts, when there were only
149.
81 don't believe that the man who
was President for seven years while
the greatest trust growth occurred, at
the very time of all times in the his
tory of the Sherman antitrust law
it could have been made potential in
lettering trust organization-I think
that the man who was president then
is not the man to find the way out
now #.. So.
In other words, the trusts sprung
UP like mushrooms during the adj
ministration of President Roosevelt.
While he was giving utterances to tri-
AIDES against the 'losses" in thepolitical
parties and attracting the attention
of the people away from the issue,
the illegal combinations multiplied
like flies around the bunghole Of a
molasses barrel.
In his weekly paper, Senator La
Toilette refers to the speech of the
colonel at the Chicago convention:
He is forcible, definite and pos
tive on matters about which there
can be no dispute. He asserts with
the enthusiasm of an original dis
coverer, principles advocated by re-
publican progressives years ago
when conservation was the only pro-
gressive policy which Roosevelt ia
vored
ITO those who have been in the
struggle for representative govern
ment and for direct nomination as
means to that end for fif-
teen or twenty years, his dis
cussion of these subjects, as
though they were new issues, is
really comic"
Roosevelt's silence on the question
of overcapitalization of railroads and
Industrial combinations is credited
to friendship for Perkins, Mccormick
and their associates, whose financial
backing, it is declared, he does not
desire to forfeit,
This is a milestone about Roose-
velts neck" continues the editorial,
and of itself makes him impossible
as candidate of real progressive
movement. 1t forces him into a tor
tuous and shifty course of reasoning
upon the high cost of living"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
"ASSAICING TRUSTS"

A dispatch from Oyster Bay says:
I'm reply to the statement of For
mer Senator George Edmunds of
Vermont, who declared that the
Taft administration had enforced the
Sherman antitrust act and that the
bull moose party would not enforce
the antitrust law, Colonel Roose-
welt this afternoon made spirited
attack on John d. Rockefeller, and
the American Tobacco company.
The colonel was very careful not
to make any reference to the Inter
national Harvester trust, ]. P. Nor
gan and his ilk. Nor did he spend
his vocabulary assaults on the Steel
Trust
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
FROM away
GUESTS OF 'XAT0 CLUB
From Tuesdays Daily.

Thirty automobiles and their occu
pants arrived in Mankato this noon
from Faribault, this being the first
sociability tour of the Faribault
Automobile club that had Mankato
for it's objective point. The tourists
encountered only a few bad spots
on the roads from Faribault to Man.
kato, and many of them voiced
their appreciation of the fine Madi
son Lake road.
The tourists were escorted into
Mankato by several members of the
local auto club. These were C. H.
,Saulpaugh, J. A. Johnson, Wilbur
Clements, DR.. Roy Andrews, NJ d.
Fritz, Robert and Otto Lamm, Theo.
dore Just and President John H.
Hohmann. The tourists were met
at Madison Lake at the Lamm and
Holman cottages. They arrived
there about eleven O'Clock. About
half of the tourists went a little
ahead of the other half and when
the first number came to the Wind.
miller hill they waited for the rest
of the company so as to come to
Mankato together.
Welcomed at Sibley Park.
When they reached Sibley park
where they were to have their noon
control they were met by a scene OF
delight, for tables had been prepared
and arrangements made for a fine
noon day lunch. A committee of
Mankato women, of which Mrs. R.
E. Brown was chairman served cot.
fee, sugar and cream. The ladies
ION this committee and assisting
were: Mrs. c. H. Saulpaugh, Mrs.
H. A. Patterson, Mrs. John H. Hob.
mann, Mrs. Roy Andrews, Mrs.
George Klein, Mrs. Fred Otto and
Mrs. Charles Wise. The scene also
resembled camp as the women
and their husbands helped each other
here and there, making everything;
ready for the coming of the tourists.
The tables were decorated with hy.
drangia, larkspurs and several other
beautiful flowers donated by the park
management
They were met by the reception
committee and soon the tables at
the picnic grounds were surround.
ed by eager diners. The automo,
biles were parked along the side
at the foot of the hill while the oc.
cupants enjoyed themselves in the
shade. A finer and more ideal day
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
HJERPE SUES FOR $4,000
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Oscar Hjerpe has brought suit
against w. H. Anderson for $4,000
damages claimed to have been in
Cured on July 1, in Nicollet county.
Hjerpe says that he was diving
along the road with another riend
in buggy. A milk can was also
in the buggy. He met w. H. Ander-
son, who was driving an automobile.
Hjerpe says that he turned out as
far as he could on the road, but that
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
Taxation in
eSOta

Ever since Minnesota became a
state we have had a law among our
statutes requiring that "all property
shall be assessed at it's true and full
value in money" Another statutory
provision equally ancient defines
true and full value as meaning
"the usual selling price at the place
where the property to which the term
is applied shall be at the time of as
be obtained therefore at private sale
and not at forced or auction sale
1t is hard to see how these statutes
could be made more explicit or how
anything could be added that would
make them easier to understand; but
, notwithstanding their clear and man
datory terms they have never been
enforced or obeyed, but have been
, wilfully and unblushingly violated by
, assessors, boards of equalization and
taxpayers everywhere from the very
beginning. Never since the first as
SCISSOR started on his thankless task
has property of any kind in Mime
sofa been assessed at it's true and
full value" nor, with few exceptions,
has any serious attempt ever been
made to assess it. The uniform, uni
versal custom has been to assess at
from rs to so per cent Of actual val
lie; and this custom has had the long
continued approval of the people, the
silent support of THE lawmaking and,
in a large measure, the acquiescence
of the law enforcing departments of
the state government.
The causes which have led to the
downfall of the law are rooted deep
in human selfishness and official in
efficiency; and are much easier to
find than they are to remedy. First
and foremost among them is the dis
position on the part of taxpayers gen.
orally to shirk just as much of the
public burden as they can. The next
in Importance is the very large num-
Der of weak and incompetent asses
sors. The local assessor is the key
stone of our whole taxing system and
unless he is man of good Judgment,
familiar with values and endowed
with sufficient moral courage to be
fair, his work invariably falls far
short of the legal standard and very
often degenerates into a mere trav-
esty on justice. The office of asses
sor, as at present constituted, be-
cause of the meagre pay and small
importance attached to it by citizens
generally, is seldom sought after by
capable men. More often than not
men competent to make good as
sessment if rendered the position re-
fuse to accept. Frequently the place
is given to someone simply because
he needs" it, or because he will do
the work for less than anybody else,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
REPEATS THE PERFORMANCE.

Sixteen years ago Frank M. Nye
lican party and took up with the
free silver craze. Later he returned
to the republican ranks. Six years
ago the party honored him with the
nomination for congress. He was re-
elected twice. Again he deserts the
organization and is now worship
per of the bull moose. Mr.. Nye is
to be respected for one thing. He
would not file for congress under
the heading republican and at the
same time give his support to the
third party.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
HOW TO GET GOOD ROADS.

Hon. M. ]. Bowling of Olivia was
recently asked, by editor of the Uni
versity Farm Press News, for, brief
statement of the methods so success
fully used in Renville county, for
making and maintaining geodroads.
l His reply is as follows: 81 will use
as an example the fifty-five miles of
east and west road paralleling the
Milwaukee Road through Renville
county. When the news reached us
that the Tribune trophy would be
given to the county having the best
| roads, over which the automobile
tour to Aberdeen would be run, we
divided this fifty-five miles into dis
tricts, selecting the most enthusiast
tic good roads man in each district
as its superintendent. We went to
the county commissioners, who ia
vored us with small appropriation,
which was divided equally among the
district superintendent. We went to
the village council of each village,
and were favored by them with a
small appropriation, which was
turned over to the local district
superintendent We then aroused
the spirit of enthusiasm among the
village people and the farmers along
the entire route.
I'VE also aroused a spirit of rivalry
between, the districts; and then we
went to work with the ordinary disk
ho fol
King drag The entire fifty-fve miles
was thoroughly disked, narrowed and
then smoothed by the King drag.
Sods were thrown to the side of the
road, ruts were filled and packed
approaches to culverts and bridges
were carefully filled level with the
planks, all stones and pieces of brok-
en- glass were picked up by hand.
Rocks were dug out, and the holes
filled and packed. Low places,
where water might settle after a
rain, were drained by small open
bitches. This work having been &C
complished, nothing further was done
than to maintain the road in good
condition by the use of the King
drag from one end of the county to
the other. -
Each district superintendent, who
worked without remuneration, knew
just where his work began and left
off; and although heavy rains pre-
ceded the Aberdeen run, and our soil
is as slippery when wet as any in the
state, by running the King drags
over this road in the early morning
of the day when the automobiles
went through, it, made the surface
as smooth and nice as city street.
Not counting the labor of love, which
was gladly donated by the farmers
and village people along the line, our.
total expenditure on this road, for
1910, was less than 5000.
lam convinced that the same work
can be duplicated in any community
in Minnesota, by simply getting to-
gether and dividing up territory, and
then enthusing the inhabitants until
spirit of loyalty. in each district
is aroused. This will soon become
welded into a county spirit that is
sure to bring down fruit. If would
add anything more it would be this
Don't let water stand on any portion,
of the road, to soak and soften it,;
don't permit a single sod to be used
IN constructing the road; don't build,
the road too wide, and don't build
it to peak in the center. Make It
round like a hogs back, and then
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23

which it has advocated, and it has
only distrust of the man who claim
ing to be in sympathy with these
principles, blocks the way to true
progress by his own greed.
Get together, or take well de-
served thrashing, all together.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23

Sherman that "war is hell" will es-
innate this quiet act of our we'll
poised president at it's true worth to
them and to their country, redeem
ing million times over any error of
head he may have made-he has
made no errors of heart. 1t is long,
long since you have had president
of the true patriotism of William
Howard Taft
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23
ROOSEVELT AND THE TARIFF,
The st. Paul Pioneer Press savs

Ihe st. Paul Pioneer Press says:
Colonel Roosevelt is spoken OF
slightinglye by some of his opponents
as, never, having had any ideas on
the subject of the tariff and as hav.
Ing ignored the, biggest question in
American politics. He came into of
fice shortly after the passage of the
Dingley bill, and there was no great
demand for tariff revision. Such
matters as additional railroad leg.
isiation, pure food laws, and conser.
walton or natural resources were con.
sidered more urgent"
But criticism for the neglect of
the tariff issue repeated now can
have but one result, and that will
be Ito direct attention more parti.
eplariy to what. he is saying in this
campaign about the tariff and the
protective system. What he says is
what everybody else. who favors a
reasonable adjustment of the SEIZED.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23

Anderson came along az the rate of
about twenty miles an hour and did
not turn in the least. The result
was a collision in which the milk
can and Mr.. Hjerp,s friend were
thrown out and Mr.. Hje-pe himself
sustained broken arm. He has en-
gagged S. B. Wilson as his attorney.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-23

keep it in condition by frequent
use of the King drag; and do not
forget that the best time to use the
King drag is right after a rain"
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Mrs A. II. Churchill returned Sun
day night from the hospital at Pierre
where she underwent an operation
for appendicitis three weeks ago.
She is getting along nicely now and
will soon be out again.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Miss May Redmond returned Sat
urday from Minneapolis. where she
is attending a kindergarten normal
school and will spend the two weeks
vacation at her home.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Word was received today by Clint
Crabtree and Mrs Lulu Arthur of
the death of their mother at her
home in California. Mr. Crabtree
departed on the evening train to at
tend the funeral.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Mr. and Mrs w. H. Halloween de-
parted Friday morning for a holiday
visit with friends and relatives at
Conrad. Iowa. Their daughter. Miss
Bessie. who is attending school at
Oberlin, will meet them there to
spend her vacation.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

PLENTY OF MONEY for loans
no Hand County lands. Farm loans
made promptly and at lowest rates.
No delay on any leans accepted. If
needing a loan call on or write Z. F.
Waite at the Hand County State
Bank, Miller. S. d.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Miss Bessie Woodruff took a fall
while roller skating in Highmore
last week. injuring her knee quite
severely. She was unable to return
to her school in the country, so came
home to remain for a few weeks.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Frank Trottman and family were
Christmas visitors at the home of
their daughter Mrs John Dennis in
Burdette twp.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Z. F. Waite attended a meeting Of
the Executive Council of state bank
ers at Huron Friday. The date for
the annual State meeting was fixed
for June 25th & 26th at Watertown.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Miss Juniatta Watson was among
the crowd of Visitors in the city Sat.
urday, She is teaching IN Rockdale
twp, where she and her mother are
living this winter.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Miss Stella Morrow arrived Satur-
day from Mankato, where she is at
tending a business college to spend
a short vacation with her mother.
Mrs Amanda Morrow and family.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Mr. and Mrs Wetz and baby, of
Sioux City. arrived in the city Sat
urday for a visit with Miller rela,
tives. Mrs Wetz was formerly Mis-:
Rose Grant.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Lee Miller arrived Monday from
st. Paul, where he is attending a
college of Mechanic Arts. for a short
vacation at his home.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Rev. and Mrs S. w. Huntly and
daughter. Miss Grace, of Messing
ton Springs are visiting this week
at the F. d. Greene home.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Sixty-six thousand dollars more to
loan on Hand County farms at low
est rates. There is no delay with
us. Soon as your title is shown to
be good, the money is ready.
The Miller Land Co.
j. C. McCool, Manager.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Earl and Bertha Grceves and Ralph
Null are home from Brooklngs,
where they are attending the state
college, for the holiday vacation.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26
advertisement

Tickets for the big comedy success
"Tbe Missouri Girl are now or sale
at the usual place. Prices 35-50-75c.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Charles Williams, of the st. Law
renee Lumber Co was a Miller visitor
SATURDAY..
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Donald Newburn. Of Des Moines,
Iowa, Is in the city spending his
holiday vacation at the home of his
sister, Mrs |. f. Hambly.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

We offer all large rugs until Jan
LIST at 20 per cent discount.
Reck-M Montgomery & Co.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

MRS Roxana Slower, of Madrid Ia.
arrived in Miller Monday to spend
the winter with her daughter. Mrs
J. T. Redmond.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Correct weight and test, and top
prices on cream and eggs at the Car
thage cream station, Miller, S. ID. IF
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-12-26

Mr. ard Mrs w. S. Battersby went
to Lewis, Iowa. Saturday to spend
the holidays with relatives.