Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-04-02
SENATOR H0OkWAY COMMENTS
MI ON VE1OES Of GOV. HANNA

own destinies, and the state must look
to their welfare. The appropriation for
the jamestown asylum was, | believe.
the largest ever passed by the state.
ana that institution, l want to say to
your readers, needed every cent that the
state appropriated to them.
The tax commission bill was a bill
creating q tax commission consisting Of
three persons, to investigate taxation in
North Dakota, and make q report to
the Legislative Assembly to convene in
1915. 1t was estimated. which estimate
] believe TO be reasonably correct, that
1t would cost the state from forty to
fifty thousand dollars to get this report
to the next Legislative assembly. and
then the Legislative assembly might not
follow the report and enact such avs
as suggested by the tax commission.
1t seemed to be the opinion Of q great
many that this Information which was to
be collected by this board Of three. could
be gathered by q single tax commissions
or In n period Of two years. and that
the cost Of n single tax commissioner
would be about one-third OF the mount
necessary for the three and hat the en-
ployment of three would be q useless
expenditure Of the states money.
II fought this bill on the floor of the
senate for the same reasons as above
stated, and / canno see but what one
man, thoroughly familiar with all the
phases Of the subject of taxation, could
In a period OF two years make . re-
port of his findings and his recommend
ti0ns as to the enactment of taxation
laws for the state.
We have quite q number Of men In
the United States. who have spent their
lifc's work in making a study of taxa
ton. Their homes are in states that
have been admitted to statehood many
years prior to this state. | have only
to mention to you the names Of Cover
nor Harmon Of Ohio. LaFolrette Of Wis
consin. and Henry George of New York.
to remind you that these men have dur
ing my years been interested in the
subject Of taxation; therefore in my
Judgment it should not cost the state Of
North Dakota forty or nifty thousand
dollars to find out what the law - of :aX-
alton are as they exist under the stat
ute books Of the states wherein these
men have resided for years and gath
cred together every feature contained in
any of the laws of any state. trav-
rled and consulted men OF national reru-
tation on the subject.
In my judgment one man can cover
the subject in a period Of two years with
just as much thoroughness and possibly
more than a commission consisting Of
..ree.
From this. Mr.. Editor, I do not want
you to understand that l I'm against 4
tax commission for the state OF North
Dakota, for l am not. l believe the
time is coming when this state should
have 4 tax commissioner in order that
the taxes may be properly equalized
among the people. so none may escape
and others be burdened. I would vote
for a single tax commissioner but not
for a commission of three.
You will find that when two years
roll around that the people will be able
to say that Governor hanna has been
their governor and at all times n
of the people and at all times on the
job. If his actions in vetoing these
Is any indication of his abiI-
ity. I win predict q most successful ad-
ministration and one that the state will
where it Is at the close OF every |
business day"
c. w. HOOKWAY.