The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-04-30
TWAS GREAT MEETING
Gov. Clark Drew Big Crowd And
Made Fine Talk.

iowa. addressed the republican mass
meeting held Saturday afternoon al
the MahasAa county court house. The
gathering was the third Saturday
meeting of county republicans recent
~ held in get together" SpiTit and
il WAS the, biggest and best, meeting
of the, lot, a. The. Old7time, enthusiasm
was present and the words of the
speakers were warmly received.
County Chairman w. T. Martin
called for order a little after l 80
o'clock. Governor Clarke appeared
in the room while the audience was
gathering and mingled with the
crowd, being introduced by John o.
Malcolm. George W. Sewers was
asked to take charge of the meeting
and in directing the attention of the
audience he made few remarks APP
plieable to time and occasion.
c. w. Ramseyer, county attorney
OF Davis county, and resident of
Bloomfield, republican candidate for
Sixth district representative in con-
gress, was present at the meeting
and was first introduced He ad.
dressed the crowd, making a brief
talk, but one that created a favorable
Impression and gave the floor 10 the
governor.
Governor Clarke made rapid fire
talk of facts and figures concerning
the much discussed taxation problem
and the work Of the state executive
council herewith. His address was
less than an hour in length but he
poured VOlley after Volley of truths
into the ears OF his hearers and not
q man but who left the court room
convinced OF the right of the COVER
nor's position. The address was the
abiest argument. the strongest speech
and the most brilliant effort along
this line ever offered our people. II
was highly instructive. No one who
heard the governors talk can
doubt the absolute fairness. the sin
certify and the honor of the man. Az
times he was impasSioned and yehe
ment and his Oratory reached unmis
taxable climsXes that were roundly
applauded. Al the conclusion of the
address an informal reception of
friends and acquaintances' was ac
corded the governor during the time
ne had before leaving for Dies MOines
al four o'clock. .''- - -
In closing his address he summed
up the whole situation as follows:
Here II may be well to say that
by far the greater part OF taxes paid
are levied in the local communities.
Throughout the history of the state
this has been so. The average of To-
cal levies, even In the districts where
there are no towns, or very small
villages only. have gradually increas.
ed. In such communities the ratio
viii average close 10, il not quite 81
for state, TO $40 for local purposes.
la towns the ratio will often run one
10 eighteen and twenty, and levy in
a town larger for a single purpose
than the state asks for all purposes
OF the state government, educational
institutions, institutions under the
board of control, everything. For
wears the levy for state purposes has
varied very little, while local levies
have Increased continually. in some
towns OF the state the levies win run
above 1920 miles. The total for all
state purposes Is only 49 mills.
Ii is very essential that the people
take note OF this. When there is in
dignation about high taxes. ask, who
leyies them, where do they go? Ii a
head must be hit, should IL be that Of
the fellow who asks for one dollar
for the purposes Of great state, or
the fellow who asks for from, say,
nine TO twenty dollars TO one? III
any man tries TO use q tax receipt for
campaign purposes, compel him TO
look at the reverse side OF il and
show him where the tax goes, and
what leyies produce II. Besides, call
his attention TO the fact that a large
portion OF the tax collected by the staet
goes TO the benefit OF local cOmmuni-
ties by work done in them for the
people by different departments of
rhe state.
| shall not be so foolish, or so IN.
fair, as TO say that increased valus-
tons have had nothing TO do with
higher taxes know better But
they are higher than they need 10
have been. The council did every.
thing in its power to have them re.
dnced Is there man in Iowa who
can think of a thing il might have
done that IL did not do? In equaliZ-
ing different classes Of property be
tween counties. II increased in some
and lowered IN others. II was con
fronted by the plain letter of the law;
IL acted under the mandate of the
court; had respect for the oath OF Of
fee taken in the presence OF all the
people, and now again IN the pres
ence OF all the people it calls them
70 witness that IL did its duty and
failed not II Is for them to make
a record OF condemnation or approval
The council could have purchased
votes by neglect OF duty, violation OF
law, contempt of DEGREES OF courts.
making OF an oath a farce by coward
ice-but II wants to say TO all the
people OF Iowa, that il will never pay
the price. There Is something bet
Ter. II Is a clear. approving con-
science and ability to look every man
In the eye and say, this thing. under
an the circumstances. was right. We
do not anticipate defeat at the hands
OF Iowa citizenship, but what splendid
victories do the years sometimes re-
veal were won in defeat'