The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1914-12-10
HOLD NEW LAW
NOW IN EFFECT
Attorneys Fer Prairie Oil Com,
pauy Argue to Equali-
ZatiOn Beard.
AMENDMENT VOTE SEPARATE

Taking the position that the con
sututlOnal amendment provided a
two per cent gross production tax ON
oil companies, and substituted all 9th.
er taxes OF similar nature, voted on
at the last election was adopted, &.
Il. Ames appearing for the Prairie
on and Gas company today before
the board Of equalization objected to
matter OF adding to the assessment
VI the valuation Of the company's prop
erty In the state
Mr.. AmeS maintained his position
relative TO the adoption OF the con
StitutiOnnl amendment on the ground
that the ballots for 1t and other
amendments were printed ON separate
sheets Of paper, deposited In separate
ballot boxes and counted separately
from the ballots voted for other off
GERS In the election II this point he
sustained, then the board had no All
thoTity 20 proceed, aS q new law was
now In force
The point raised 10y MIR Ames con.
templates that the amendments were
voted upon In separate election
from that Of the other officers OF the
state and that all that was necessary
for their adoption was that they re-
celye majority OF the votes cast
upon them, and not majority Of the
votes cast at the election taken as n
whole There has been some eXpreS-
sion of opinion before on this feat
ure Of the election on the amend
ncntS Some have held to a similar
view. while others believe there WAS
no scpuratc election, and that the
amendments were subjected 10 the
same rules applying 10 question re
Qulrlng majority Of the votes cast
NJ the election. and not restricted 10
the actual votes on the subject
Decided to Hear Objections.
This objection, with others was
made when the board ~ equalization
met for the purpose OF deciding on a
further assessment Of the Prairie on
and Gas company. The board had
previously placed an assessment Of
S39 100000 against the company. {.
II Pittmnu, tax ferret, few months
ago notified members Of the boarI
that he had discovered more property
In the shape Of leases held by the
company, representing al inNcctmCnt
OF $aOOO0OO.
At the meeting two weeks ago the
board decided to hear what proof Ia,
company had to sustain Its ObJectlo,
to the hoard making the addltlOna
assessment. The board vet today I,
hear the evidence. The objection L
the board acting further In the mat
ter was first made 10 complete tn,
record as 1t Ii apparent that whatev
or action the board takes II will b,
appealed from by the company. Nat,
Gibson OF Tulsa, ~ E Van Tuyle o.
Independence, Kan, and &. II. Amei
of Oklahoma City represented th'
Prairie Oii and Gas company
Further objection to the hoard act
ing further was offered by Mr. Anne,
! on the ground that the board haC
acted on the assessment Of the com
> pany's property once, that the assess
ment had been distributed thrOughOu
the various counties and had complet
ed lts business and made the STATE
levy, and could not now sit as bOarC
I OF equalization and rcassess or recon
! slider the assessment Of property. IN,
power Of the board as a board o
y equalization was exhausted, nOtwith
:. standing the minutes showed that tn
hoard adjourned when the levy wa
o made subject to the call Of the chair
r man. II was insisted that the boar,
could not consider any further mat
? ters until next year.
Il Action Expected To-day.
e The morning session OF the boar
q was consumed I'm hearing the objc,
tiOns Of the attorneys for the oil an
o gas company. and an adjournment wa
y taken until this afternoon, when Il
p possible the board will take final ~
+ ton.
e Attorney General West offered "a
" the record, evidence taken at previOu
hearings concerning the property {
r. the Prairie on Rrl Gas company, m
n Texas company the Magnolia and IN
II Gulf Pipe Line company Of Oklahomi
10 all of which wns objected 10 by N
N attorneys for the Prairie on n
u grounds that such evidence was immi
D. terial In the proceeding sought to
brought before the board Of equaliEi
l' tion. The records In question wei
introduced, however, together with N
objections for the completion of n
II record Of proceedings now being hau
~ The board of equalization justlfi,
. Its action In further considering n
assessment of the Prairie ON n
grounds that new property has bee
: discovered II II cOntended that IN
y property the company owned and
was In existence when the other pro
erty was returned nv the compan
and that II should have been name
NJ that time, hut was not The boar
does not admit that II adjourned III
ally, hut that II could meet at AZ
time subject to the call Of the chai
man, although the state levy ht
been made II IL possible, however,
defending itself against the objectiC
OF the Prairie's attorneys that 9th,
reasons win be pleaded.
The action " the board In the ca
Of the Prairie may involve other {
companies In the state.