The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-04-29

Delinquent Tax. =
The amount OF delinquent state
tax which will come into the
hands OF the auditor general for colIec-
ton will run higher this year than It
did last. despite the fact that Michi-
gan 10 supposed to be having the
greatest wave Of prosperity in her his
tory.
Although the percentage OF gain
will be but one quarter Of one per
cent. the amount of money delin-
quent will run much higher than on
the 1914 tax because the 1915
state tax exceeds that of 1914 by 81
100000 In round numbers.
In 1915, 1854 per cent of the
state tax was paid before It became
delinquent and was returned az such.
This year the amount paid win run
about $40 per cent. based upon the
figures from the 80 counties which
have already settled with the state
and closed up their books.
Late in the fall the state officials
were asked to devise some way to
help out the farmers OF the northern
portion Of the southern peninsula on
their taxes. The frost and the cold
weather had ruined the crops there.
and It was feared that the taxes could
not be paid. Hence an arrangement
was sought by which the state would
not charge the usual price for delin-
quency. The matter could not be reg
ulated. however. and. according to the
returns, those who were frightened
had no cause to be SO. Kalkaska coun.
ty, which was mentioned particularly
as being one Of the poor ones,
dropped off only three per cent. Last
year 90 per cent of its tax was paid;
this year 1t paid 80. Benzie dropped
from 81 to 81, while Crawford, an.
other in the poor-crop belt, only lost
point from IS to "a. The only large
county reporting so far is Kent. 1t
about follows the average drop. Last
year 1t paid 1857 per cent. and this
year $3.50 per cent.
License Plan Adopted.
Giving its legislative committee
authority to go ahead and draft
bill providing for state supervision
of real estate dealers and brokers.
with the Intention OF having II intro
duced into the next legislature, the
Michigan state convention of real es-
tate dealers went on record for clean
ing out the so-called "undesirables' Of
the profession.
The legislative committee. headed
by Frederick G. Shipman of Detroit.
will draft the proposed MEASURE. fol.
lowing rather closely the law now
pending in New York. Licenses will
be the feature, such licenses to be
granted by state commission which
shall be satisfied as to honesty and
integrity Of the applicant.
A nominal fee is to be charged each
dealer and broker licensed under the
law, although the bond feature, which
Is one of the most prominent portions
of the New York law, will in all prob
ability be eliminated. The New York
law makes each dealer and broker file
bond for the purpose of protecting
buyer who In any way is wronged.
financially. by the agent. This bond
feature will to great extent be COW
cred here, 1t is declared. in the de-
mands made upon an applicant before
he Is licensed.
When the question of the license
bill was formally brought before the
convention, the authorization was Civ.
en- the legislative committee with q
whoop. All delegates seemed to take
the position that bill OF some sort
was needed.
Asks Investigation.
State Market Director James N.
Mcbride has been asked by the
executive committee of the state
grange to conduct an investigation and
determine whether there has been an
attempt by the creameries and con-
denseries Of the state to fix prices by
unlawful methods. The state grange
also wants Mcbride to urge the fed
eral trade commission to investigate
thO Rho4uStiOu anu oaiO Va AuiAk III sAAio
state to ascertain whether there Is re-
straint of trade and combinations to
regulate prices.
Says the executive committee Of
the state grange: I'VE are advised OF
the decreased prices offered by the
various milk buying companies OF this
state for the summer Of 1916 We
therefore submit the following ad.
vices: First. when the summer sched-
ule of retail milk in Detroit was re-
duced to the consumer from nine cents
to eight cents. the reduction amounted
to 11.9 per cent, while the reduction to
the producer was 20 per cent.
I'VE also submit that the demands
for $1.65 per hundred made by the Chi.
cago milk producers ID q minimum for
summer milk that IL only adequate to
the cost of production as determined
by investigation made at the various
agricultural colleges
"Tha 0ouoro1 odvouco ~ ali the