Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-15
GOV. GEORGE w. CLARKE TELLS
OF RECENT ACTS OF STATE
LEGISLATURE.
DISCUSSES BILLS
State Executive Defends Capitol Elk.
tension Measure on Grounds
It is a Crying Need of
the Day.

vicinity Tuesday evening at the Grand
opera house in the opening campaign
meeting for the republican party.
For two hours the states chief execu.
tive strenously ground out facts and
figures to support his statements. The
two main points discussed were those
OF the adjustment of the states taxa
ton and the capitol extension act. The
address was featured by the frequent
illusions, of the governor, to the fact
that he was overly anxious to lay be-
fore the people the exact details of
what was actually done at the sessions
when this work was accomplished.
The meeting was preceded by a short
band concertin the down town streets
and parade from the hotel to the
opera house. In a short Introductory
speech Major Samuel Mahon re-
viewed the, present national admins
tration and the work that has been
done at Washington
In opening Gov Clarke said, II am
anxious to talk to the people of Iowa
on matters of interest and l believe
the two questions of greatest interest
to the people of this state, just now,
are the capitol extension act and the
adjustment of the taxation values.
think that I ought to talk to the peo-
pie of Iowa and to tell them just ex-
actly what was done in these matters,
it is their business and it is their
right and privilege to know these
things. am fully aware that there
has been more opposition to me in this
locality than. perhaps, in any other.
but I am fully conscious of the ever
lasting and eternal righteousness of
the work that has been done on these
two matters. l am on the firing line
and am willing to talk fairly and
squarely and straight from the should
er. There are lot Of different notions
broadcast about these matters but
when the people have the real facts of
the case then have no fear. I am
determined that they shall not be de-
ceived and shall know the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth"
Tells Of Plan Used.
The executive then discussed at
some length, the plans that were
worked out in connection with the ad-
justment of the taxes of the state. He
stated that every governor and secre-
tary of the state, for several admin
istrations preceding, had urged such
an action and stated that he was de-
termined to do what he had taken the
oath to do, to make fair and equal
adjustment of the taxation valuations
of the state. He cited the law
through the various phases and showed
that the executive council had moth
ing to do with a mans individual
taxes, that being left with the board
of supervisors of the individual coun-
ties while the councils work was to
make adjustments between the coun-
ties of the state. He stated that the
thirty-fifth general assembly had pass
ed a law to have an investigation of
the question made, something that had
never been done before, and that the
work was started in April and the re-
port was ready when the boards of
supervisors met in the different coun
ties in September He told of
writing to the recorders of every coun-
ty and to representative business men,
merchants and bankers and asking
them for the actual real estate values
of their own county and the adjoining
counties as well. The speaker said
that when these returns were made
they believed them too high, and fur
Their investigations were made Every
avenue of information was delved
into in order that no one should Fay
on speculative value.
1t was found; the speaker said, that
it was the better class of land that
was selling and fair information could
not be obtained from that source, then
the question Of sentimental value was
10 Nf ~
family estates. In view of this fact,
an equal basis could not be reached
in that manner and twenty per cent
was taken off, the speaker stated, and
then another like amount to equallze
with the amount the bond companies
and surety organizations were paying.
Another adjustment was made SO that
the economic or income value OF these
lands would equal the economic or in
come value of the railroads. The ex-
ecutive said that the average land
value for Wapello county was $6O.42
an acre under the adjustment and the
average taxable value an acre, was
S15.11. He said that this was the first
time in the state that an honest effort
had been made to put the tax on fair
and square basis The governor made
the statement that the executive coun-
Gil, does not fix any levies. The gen.
eral assembly determines the amount
needed by the state during the biennial
period and the council fixes the rate,
the levy makes the tax and not the
valuation lie pointed out that during
the last ten years the greatest strides
had been made in the educational in
situations of the state. He told of
the vast improvements at Cedar Falls,
Iowa City and Ames and stated that
these great schools had actually been
made within the last decade. He
urged state wide campus for the
university, bringing the educational
light into every freside direct from
the states university halls.
Capitol Extension.
The governor then took up and
dwelt at length on the matter of CAPT
tol extension. He commended that
more ground was needed for state pur-
poses because the present building
does not afford sufi cient room to house
the many state officers. He explained