Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-02-26
THE TAX COMMISSION.

90 1t is not necessary for one to oppose the ere
~ alton or the continuance of a tax commission in
90 order to offer a few friendly criticisms. We are
90 inclined to think that a board OF some sort,
~ clothed with proper powers, may prove to be an
90 advantage to the taxpayers in the end in reach
90 ing a solution of the tax problem, but in this con-
% aectlon we want to express keen regret that the
90 present tax commission of South Dakota has per
90 united itself to become fractional and partisan.
90 The other day there was a meeting of the
~ county auditors of the state at Pierre. 1t was
90 called ostensibly for the purpose of instruction,
90 but, as a matter of fact, the main object in getting
90 these county officials together was to turn the
- gathering to the advantage of the state admins
90 %tratlon, and especially to bolster up the mislead-
90 ing contentious Of the commission.
oo The entire forenoon's session was given over
oe to q speech by Mr.. Preston of the commission.
1t contained nothing whatever relating to a COM
20 mission or the duties thereof that could not have
"a been condensed into a circular of a few hundred
90 words and forwarded by mail. During the one
hour and forty minutes in which Nh. Preston
occupied the floor his remarks, aside from the in
a. troductory portion which was confined to quot
ing extracts from the messages of former COVER
90 nors and state officials concerning the need of re-
20 vising the laws governing assessments and tax
alton, We're intensely ~factional. A few editors
oo were roasted, the tax commissions critics were
70 denounced, and defiance strong and loud was
40 hurled at everybody who may happen to disagree
90 with the speaker.
That's not our idea of the sort of public ser
90 wants we shonld haze. If Mr.. Preston demon
90 strated anything at all by his speech, it was to
snow that he is not sufficiently cool-headed to fill
% exalted positions. Men of his erratic tempera-
~ ment are not intended for positions subject to
80 criticism. The Creator obviously had other work
49, 80 Hnf &pff fnI, 4, @ .rn1 81 IA&
90 niche.
And then there is Mr.. Henry, the president of
the commission. He is said to be a banker, and
% as such ought to have some understanding of fig
ures and to know the meaning of figures. There
oo is not the shadow Of excuse for his effort to mis-
30 lead the county auditors concerning the states
20 resources available to meet the states obliga-
~ tons. We do not charge that he Intentionally
"a misrepresented we are charitable enough to at
90 tribute it to forgetfulness, or thoughtlessness, or
oversight.
a. In trying to show that the state, with one mill
90 levy for next year upon the same basis Of valu-
90 alton, would be entirely out of debt, with all out
standing obligations paid and with more than one
a. hundred thousand dollars in the treasury, Mr..
Henry omitted to mention the commissions paid
90 blythe state to the various county treasurers for
SCoo#sthe collection of state taxes. This commission is
90 four per cent and never gets into the state treas
Do nry. Ut amounts, on present basis Of valuation
oo# and levy, to $4,000 d year. or $$96,O00O0 for the
biennial period ending june 80, 1915, referred to
by Mr.. Henry
po The gentleman also failed to- mention the re-
bates, refunds, and attachments, which never get
into the state terasury. Experience shows that
they amount 70 about FIVE per cent 81 the total
81 tax due. That ~disposes Of $60,000loo 4 year
"a more, or $12o,0oo.o0 for the biennial period.
90 Then, too, the expenses of the next legislature,
amounting to approximately $l0o,Ooo0o, which
ss paNA ~ TN W. y yeaiS uiils Sunc
s51, aIyt3, we're Omltfed from ms figures
Oo @Yhis sWells the total to more than $3O000O00
o9SHS for HIN biennial period which MA. Henry ssorersl
cooked
Don'fa YIN tIiirnk, good p~eoplleof South Dakota,