The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-07-10
POLITICIANS FICR7
ALL REFERENDUMS
Desperate in Their Zeal to Save
WaTneS and Fitzpatrick Bills.

Columbus, (Special.) THE deal
made between Governor Cox and Ger.
tain banking interests whereby they
are to help defeat the referendum on
the Green compensation act in re,
turn for his support to an amendment
for the classification Of property for
taxation, means feVerish campaign
this fall on the part of the interests
advocating this tax reform. Classifi.
cation of property has been submitted
to the people at several elections and,
though strongly supported by the own.
ers of stocks and bonds, each time tho
owners of real estate have caused its
defeat. Classification of property
means real estate will be subjected to
the highest tax levy, probably, but the
levy will not necessarily be higher
than that which is now being as
sessed.
If the taXspenders at Columbus last
winter had kept faith and not tink
cred with the Smith tax levy act it
is generally believed that the cover.
nOr's advocacy of classification would
not have caused any uneasiness
among home owners and farmers.
They would have felt secure in the as
surance which the Smith act gave
that the levy on land could not exceed
10 mills. The governors declaration,
however, following so closely on the
enactment of the Warnes bill, central
iZing all the tax machinery of the
state in his hands, and the Fitzpatrick
bill, striking the interior limitations
out of the Smith act, has caused dis
trust which. state officials apprehend,
will develop into a general disap
proval of all the measures submitted
sy referendum petition,
In the cities politicians are organ
izing their forces against all the refer.
endums, being willing to sacrifice
everything to save the Fitzpatrick ana
Warnes bills, The Smith l0-mill levy,
they say, prevents them raising the
| money needed to make necessary i'm.
| proyements and support their muniCi.
pal ownership projects, and for that
| reason they are for any measure that
| will impair or destroy the levy I'm.
| itation. They have caused all visible
| property to be assessed at its full.
| value in money, being assisted by the
| deluded owners who thought the
Smith act was solemn pledge to be
kept, and the taXspenders can not get
any more money in that direction. 81
they are rerfCrce lined up with tho
state taXs 1ders to break down the
Smith act by voting against the refer.
endums on the Fitzpatrick and Warnes
bills. Of course, these same taXspend,
ers will alo- vote against the referen
dums on Green act, which in
creases the burdens of home-owners
S2,OO0,OO0 year, and the agricultural
commission as well - even thougl
both are straight-out violations 0t
that much vaunted home rule IN
whose praise the municipal taxspeDd
ers have been straining their voca
| | chords for years.
Against the organized opposition Of
, the hordes of municipal and state tax
spenders politicians figure that thu
, unorganized home owners will moi
| stand much chance next November
r While admitting they are hopelesslN
outnumbered IS to votes they declare
they are the ttronger at the polls be
| cause they can get their people out tc
S vote while the mere taxpayers are toe
I busy figuring out how to meet theil
e grocery bills or get in their crops, t.
0 drop private necessities for public du
ties, Further, they anticipate tina
through their job-holding or job-seek
ing spellbinders. who will appear q
9 ali the Chautauqua and like gather
3 ings, they will be able to befuddle tn
taxuayers and divide their strength,