Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-26
NAVE you PAID YOUR AUTO TAXI


Owners Of autos who have not yet
provided themselves with 1914 num-
Der plates are being hailed into justice
courts for penalties and the tax col
lector is falling upon the just and I'M
just alike Mr.. Howig, in communi-
cation to this newspa per, raises pro-
test against present methods Of col
lecting the auto license tax which are
worth considering. Howig argues that
man who is delinquent in the pay
ment of other property taxes is not
hailed into court like law breaker
but penalties are merely assessed
against him and finally his property is
sold by the sheriff, hence Howig thinks
it an injustice TO otherwise reputable
citizens to be hailed into court like a
felon merely to collect an auto license
tax.
fact that a man licensed his auto in
Iowa last year is no assurance that he
still owns that auto, or that it is in
Iowa this year OF that it is in running
order. 1t would be useless for the
state TO attempt 20 use last years reg
isrration for tracing or identifying cars
plate on a car is intended TO serve as
mark of Identification for anybody
and everybody who may be injured by
tina, car or who may happen 10 see
that car being operated in violation of
law. A last years number for purposes
OF Identification is worse than no num-
Der al all.
Nor will the fact that a car was.
not in use excuse the owner for not
paying his tax. The auto license, while
Il is q license OF permit from the state
to operate 8 dangerous engine upon The
public roads and is registered by mum
Der so as to identity the owner and
engine may do. is also collected in
lieu OF al! other taxes upon that prop
erty and the tax is made due Jan. !.
If the assessor should know that an
auto was in TAXPAYER possession on
Jan. l with the auto license unpaid it
would become the duty Of the asses
sor 10 assess that auto as personal
property and levy the 95 mills upon its
one-fourth value. The auto tax is due
Jan l. hence owners who are operating
machines i've and six months after
that with their license unpaid, have
very small excuse for their delinquency,
except it be a misunderstanding of the
law. Tax payers VINO have withheld
any personal property from taxation
are hailed into court and assessed for
five years back Likewise with those
who withhold their auto property from
taxation.
The trouble with the auto license law
is with the cum bersone of collec-
ton by the state. Auto taxes should be
paid to the county treasurer as all 9th
er taxes are paid and the county ofic-
from the state department. He could
very easily carry few on hand ready
TO be issued Immediately. The money
could then be forwarded 20 the state
treasurer as all other state taxes are
forwarded. An immense amount of ex-
pense would be avoided at the state
house for clerical work and auto own
ers could step over to the court house
for their license numbers the moment
they bought a car. However, it is the
duty Of every citizen to obey the laws
as they are. not as they ought 70 be-
and the owner OF an auto who has not
yet paid his license should hustle his
money to Des Moines forthwith. APP
pearances and presumption of evidence
is against him At this late day.