South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-02
PROPOSE CURES
FOR TAX SYSTEM
EVILS IN INDIANA
Municipal Ownership of Public
Utilities Advocated as One
Remedy Toward EradiCating
Unfairness in Law.

INDIANAPOLIS. Dec. 2. - NUM-
eipal ownership of public utilities, the
election Of the city controllers, in or
der TO remove them from the possible
domination of political machines,
more stringent economy in the adj
ministratiOn Of government and tax
ing the ability 20 pay as a means Of
basing the tax levy, were some Of the
things advocated 10 relieve the pres
ent evils in the taxation laws of In
diana. ar the opening session OF the
second annual conference of the Indi-
ana Tax association in the ClaypoOl
hotel Tuesday. The conference Will
extend through tomorrow
System held Unjust.
All the speakers agreed the present
system OF basing the tax levy on the
valuation Of tangible property is un-
just and serves To drive legitimate
business from the state Gov. Ralston
presided at the opening session.
Among the larger cities represent
ed by delegates were LOganspOrt
Evansville, South Bend, Lafayette,
Fort Wayne, Muncie, Gary, Marion
Frankfort Richmond, Anderson,
Huntington and Columbus.
The topic under consideration at
the first session, The Growth of
Public Expenditures, was handled by
Or. w y. RaWleS, economist of Ind1-
ana university and president of the
State Tax association. William II.
o. Brien, retiring state auditor, elab-
GRATED on The Increasing Demand
on the State and State Revenues,
Municipal Financial Pressure" was
the burden OF interesting talks by
Jacob Dunn, controller of Indianap-
oils, and John c. Williams, eX-con-
troller OF Anderson.
IT. n 10
Expenditures" was explained by Prof
John +. Coulter of the United States
census bureau, and a general discus
sion, led by Thomas f. Moran of
Purdue university, consumed the re-
maindeT OF the forenoon session.
Commissioner Speaks.
At the afternoon gathering, under
the heading Of The Effect of High
Tax Rates, Eben T., WOlcOtt, state
tax commissioner. reviewed the tax
rates in Indiana and traced their ten
denotes. Other speakers and their
topics were: How High Taxes At
feet Real Estate. by j. Edward Nor
ris. president of the newly organized
Indiana Real Estate association;
How High Taxes Affect Manufac-
turers" by A. Il. GlOssbrenner, Indi-
annapolis, and How the Farmer-the
large Taxpayers Interested, by
Dane $. Dunlop. Newcastle who
touched or the effect high taxes have
OF interest rates.
A general review by various select
ed speakers of What other States
Are Doing TO Solve the Tax Problem"
will occupy the attention of the con-
ference on Wednesday morning. and
Wednesday afternoon will be devoted
to an attempt to decide just what
remedy the state of Indiana requires
in the way OF legislation 10 establish
taxation on n more favorable AMI
equitable basis, through methods en-
tirely divorced from political or fac
tiOnal influences.
The aim of all the speakers was to
he brief and TO the point with a view
TO permitting ample time for discus
sion and explanation of any seeming
IL intricate points involved.
John y. StOn of South Bend. sec
Ond vice president of the Indiana Tax
association, is attending the confer
ence at Indianapolis and will preside
over the closing session this after
noon. Mr. Stoll is "A prominent figure
in the study of the state tax problem.
Judge T. T.. Howard, also OF this city,
was invited 20 attend the meeting at
the state capital by Gov. RalstOn but
was compelled TO decline the invitation
because of i'll health.