The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-12

the last legislature levied tax OF Ave
mills on the dollar on moneys and
credits. which is practically the rate
of taxation that farmers are paying
on their lands at their low rate Of as
sessment
The last legislature also empowered
the governor to appoint a temporary
tax commission to study the subject
and suggest a remedy for the exist
ing evils to the next legislature. The
governor called tax conference for
the third week in March, composed of
delegates from each county In the
state, appointed by the board Of super
visors. The conference was held, and
about the only thing it did was to re-
veal to the tax commission the dis
content over the state, and the jeal-
ousy between the country and the
city 1t revealed vast amount of
misunderstanding OF the whole sub
ject, and the need for careful study on
the part Of railroads, bankers, mer-
chants and farmers. This in itself is
valuable, but it seems to us to be about
the only valuable result of the confer
ence.
We have no hope whatever Of any
good results unless the legislature
will take such action as will dispense
with the general property tax for the
support of the state. BY general
property tax" we mean the state tax
on all property of every kind. Just
so long as the various counties have
to contribute to the support of the
state, they viii endeavor to maize that
support as small as possible by lower
ing the valuation The lower the
valuation the greater the injus.
tice done. and the more heavily the
burden will rest upon the man who
owns small house or farm of inferior
quality.
When the subject was up years ago
and it was resolved to assess all prop
erty at its full value, we predicted
that this was precisely what would
happen. We now predict that 1t will
happen again, and keep on happening
until in some way the state raises It's
revenues from some other source
than general property.
Our suggestion then was that the
constitution should be so amended as
to allow the taxes from railroads to
go into the state treasury. There
would then be no need for board
of equalization. except for the as.
sessment of railroads and other state
wide public utilities. Each county
would then be a taxing district in It.
self, and self-interest would lead 1t to
assess property at It's full value and
lower the rate of levy.
We doubt whether an amendment
to the constitution is needed, pro.
vided that the right-of-way be taxed
as the land adjoining is taxed; and
for county, township and school pur-
poses. ETC., that the railroad be taxed
either by an executive council, as
now; or by a commission of special.
isis employed for that purpose, the
entire remainder going to the support
OF the state. We have not time to
discuss this subject fully, but men,
ton 1t now because it will come up
for discussion and disposition at the
next general assembly.
The condition of the states ad.
joining Iowa differs very little from
that in our own state; and we recon-
mend to the consideration Of all our
readers the problem of just and
equitable system Of taxation. No sys.
tenn can be absolutely just, but we can
approximate the we'll being of all
classes of people. We must learn to
get rid of the notion that taxes are
like something to be avoided
as long as possible. A tax properly
adjusted Is an investment on behalf
of the community. and should be
made as profitable as any other in.
vestment. The nearer on just basis
the easier it will be for the public
to realize that taxes are an invest.
ment for the benefit Of the community
and when we get to that point, we
shall not couple them with the Grim
Monster.