Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-03-12
RAILROAD LOBBYIST ANSWERS
SUBPOENA AND GIVES
TESTIMONY, '.1
EXPLAINS HIS CONNECTION
WlTh~ANTI-TAx CRUSADE
Committees Proceedings Not Public
But Hunter Relates Why He 10 In
tsrsstsd in Campaign in Opposition
to State Tax comnnission-DahIbsrs
Gives Explanation.

special legislative representative of
various railroads and other corporation
interests, appeared before the commit
tee on retrenchment and reform al the.
state house yesterday afternoon.
A subpoena was issued by this COM
mittee for the person Of the said Hunt
er some time last week and sergeant
farms dispatched to bring him, but
other matters distracted the attention
Of Mr.. Hunter from the summons and
he neglected to obey.
He wrote letter, however, express
ings his regrets, and stated that he
would come at a more convenient time.
He selected / O'Clock yesterday, SO the
committee was informed, and appeared
exactly at the minute named.
Witness 10 Communicative.
The witness was more communica1
tive. He confided the fact that it was
not necessary for him to have obeyed
the committee summons. He just
came he said. because he had nothing
to conceal.
A frank statement of facts concern
ing his opposition to the proposed es-
Establishment Of state tax commission,
was what Mr.. Hunter said he gave the
committee. He minated that frank
ness had guided him in every state
ment.
With reference to j. W. Johnson,
who is said to have sent out volumes
Of literature IN opposition to proposed
tax reform, Me. Hunter said he was
well acquainted with the gentleman
and was aware of the fact that some
literature had been sent out on the
subject
1t might be mentioned in passing
that ]. w. Johnson has vanished COM
pletely, at least so far as the legisla-
tive horizon is concerned. Sergeants-
alarms call for him and call in vain.
The haunts that once knew him are his
no mere.s The committee anxiously
awaits his evidence. but no Johnson
appears, IT Mr., Hunter. was able to
give the committee any information
concerning his wherea bouts then they
were amply rewarded
Questions Legislative Right.
Mr. Hunter safu, following the hear
ing, that he questioned the right OF
any legislature to deny the right Of pc
tition on any subject of legislation. He
said that he was opposed to the tax
commission plan and had reached his
conclusion following an exhaustive
study. of the situation in those states
where similar. commissions had been
created.
Following is a statement which he
made concerning the hearing and his
position on the question involved:
Il have been before the joint COM
NIT rrh
and have had frank and interesting
conference relative to the proposed
radical changes in the taxation laws
and especially in regard to the petit
tions circulated protesting against
their enactment.
II simply cid what I had right to
do for myself and my own business in
terests and the interests l represent.
There was absolutely nothing improper,
unusual or illegal in connection with
the circulation of the petitions. They
were simply forwarded to representa-
tive citizens in different communities
and because these people were inter-
ested in the matter they circulated
same and returned them to the legis-
lators. Not one cent was spent for
circulating these petitions.
Opposes Radical Changes.
LAS property owner, banker, invest
or in commercial interests, am OPP
posed to these radical changes in the
taxation laws from every standpoint of
my interests and those 1 represent, be-
cause theorists have not worked out
the sought for equality in taxation
where applied in other states. The
variations in assessments Of the same
class Of property in different counties
of tax commission states are as grea.
as IN iowa. The Only result has heen
, increased expenses in administration.
accompanied by an increase in taxation
| on practically all lines Of taxable prop
| erty, especially farm land and the
| property of public service corporations
1 understand that the figures sent out
were taken from the official reports OF
the tax commissions Of Minnesota.
Kansas, North Dakota and Wisconsin,
and the truth OF same can easily be
verified by reference to the reports that
are on file in the reference department
at the capitol"
| c. L. Dahlberg, who was. rumored to
have made statements to the commit
tee concerning the number of petitions
and letters sent out on the tax commits
sion question, has issued denial Fol-
lowing is his statement:
I Il am reported as saying that wrote
and prepared 10000 petitions opposing
permanent tax commission and that
was hired to write them and received
800 from Johnson for such work
which IL untrue and IN absolute mis-
statement.
In Topographic Work. -
lam engaged in the business Of gen.
era stenosraphy and duplicate circular
and letter work. 1 expressly stated t.
the committee 81 retrenchmsnt and re-
form that dfds,not prepare any peti.
tons, but that. such petitions were
printed In my office.
II stated in response to inquiries thai
4 Fhad not received any money but, wher
'fasked as to the amount OF my bill
against johnson, state6 that It NIGH
possibly be in the neishborhood Of 500
tho could not ygive definite answer
from memory was not asked and
made no statement az to the numbee