The Harrison times., 1914-07-18

| by the General Assembly will be pub
lished for the enlightenment OF the peo-
! pie. Is that bad feature?" Let the
| people answer.
The people are interested in all gen.
eral orders Of the Railroad Commits
sion, but under present conditions the
great body Of the people never hear
of a general order until 1t gets into
the courts in some manner. Section
3 Of Act 3, provides a means for in
forming the people concerning the
proceedings of the Railroad Commits.
sion without waiting for litigation in
order to become advised There is
certainly nothing very bad" about
that.
II there Is any single thing which,
more than another, should interest
the people it is the matter OF taxa,
tion; but how many OF them know
who is taxed and why? 1t is the bus.
mess Of the Board Of Equalization to
see that John Does taxes are not dis.
proportionate to those of Richard Roe.
In other words, it is this Boards
business to equalize. Does It always
exercise that function? Act No. 3 pro.
poses that ii shall do just that and
nothing less. Furthermore, it propo-
ses that the Board of Equalization,
over the signature Of the county clerk,
shall tell the people just how equal
i2ation is accomplished. Under this
Act unequal taxation would be among
the remotest Of possibilities, for ey-
cry taxpayer would know precisely
the amount Of taxes paid by his neigh
Dor; and the prevalent custom OF tax
ing one piece Of property at a low
figure and n piece next to it, belong.
ing to a different person, at a higher
figure would be almost automatically
abolished
Similarly Section requires that a
summary Of the orders OF the County
Court, in all cases where the court
changes the assessments fixed by the
Board OF Equalization, shall be pub
lished over the signature Of the Coun'
ty Clerk, Thus the people would be
enabled TO keep a very accurate rec
ord Of events connected with the very
important matter Of taxation. II Will
require a very sharp pair Of eyes and
a very shrewd brain to detect a bad
feature in that
Section 5,--Here is another cneck
on the County Court Of but slightly
less Importance than that provided
for in Section 4. The County Court
passes upon all orders for the pay.
ment Of money out OF the County
Treasury, and Section 3 requires all
such orders to be published 80 that
the people will know how and why
their money is spent, II this Is
bad feature" wherein and why Is II
bad?
For preparing the yearly delinquent
tax list the County Clerk receives 10
cents per tract Of land, and the sher.
IT, az ex.officlo collector receives q
similar fee. For preparing reports
required under Sections 4 and Of Act
No, 3 the county clerk, when not on
q salary, win receive 10 cents per
hundred words There are approx
mately sixteen hundred words In n
single column Of a seven column news
paper II the same Is set IN loaded non.
pareIl or sixpont (Leadod non
paron II the reader will pardon tho
use OF technical terms, Is the type re-
ouIred by the law governing the pub
lIcatIon OF legal notlces) So the
County Clerk would receive for pre-
pairing the reports required by Act
No. 3, about one dollar and sixty cents
per column Of sixteen hundred words,
II you have ever prepared n formal
report Of sixteen hundred words, In
cludng many items represented by
figures which must be verified, YOU
win be quick to admit that II is worth
considerably more than one dollar and
sIyty cents, SO we viii coneede that
ths section Is "bOd'-for the County
Clerk,
Tho Commissioners or Accounts
pass upon the merits Of all accounts
made or handled by the various ooun'
~, district and state officials (wIthin
their particular county,. why
shouldn't tho people at large, only q
small proportion Of whom are likoly
10 be present IN the court room when
the commissioners make their reports
70 the Circuit Court, be advised OF
their Commissioners Aetiohs2 Let
those answer who do not care to eX'
change confidence with the people.
II Ia Just as important that the peo
plc Of municipality be kept inform
cd concerning the conduct of muhlel,
nal officials Na It IL for the people OF
a county to be informed concerning
the conduct OF the county offlealh
therefore Act No 3 does not exempt
the municipality Practically the same
nroylalons are made for II ~ are made
for the county and for this reason
tho Section requires no particular