The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-05-26


tration, to show the benefit of pub
lie ownership or public control of
some lines of public necessity. II
you shall make any other applica-
ton OF it, no charge of infringe
ment will be made.
Casualty Insurance.
Il wish I had time to cover the
field of Casualty Insurance, where
the extoration is still greater, than
in that of Fire Insurance.
Suffice it to say, that last year in
the State Of Michigan, the stock
companies received, in premiums,
$5.0Sl,996 and paid back in losses
but $1,773,795.
When the state enacted a law,
by which employers Of labor could
write through mutual company,
conducted by the state, it's insur-
ance against accidents to their work
men. Immediately the rates for such
insurance dropped to one-third the
amount being charged before.
Taxation.
"Since 1900 our population has
increased in this state from 2,400,-
600 to 100000, twenty-five per
cent; our wealth from $1.782,000,-
900 to $3,000,000,000, sixty-eight
per cent: and our state taxes from
100000, to $16,000.00O, more
than four hundred per cent.
1T Is not sufficient answer to
the taxpayers OF Michigan to tell
| them that no dollar of this is being
stolen or squandered.
There is one thing that has SEEM
ingly been forgotten, that load
must be adjusted to the shoulders
that bear 1t.
Patterns for state expenditures
must also be made over the Shout
ders of those who must bear the bur-
dens.
The business affairs of the state
Of Michigan, today are a crazy patch
work, that has grown by the adding
OF process Of every legislature for
forty years. Every board has been
deemed necessary and every commits
sion important in it's time. But to.
day the large number of them are
chiefly used to provide places for
some friend of somebody who wants
an easy job at good salary.
Suggested Changes.
81 would reduce the expense Of
the State Tax Commission from one
hundred and EixtyNseRen thouEand
dollars a year to fifty thousand dol
lars n year.
'lf it has continuing virile duties
for the state, they can be performed
at that expense.
"They should cease to send into
the various communities of Michigan
men to fix a valuation upon proper
| II hav for Oh hni y
salable value, who know nothing or
Local conditions and care less.
Such course does an incalculable
injury to every taxpayer IN the
state, other than the Public Service
Corporations, whose tax is thereby
lessened. Considerably more than
one-half of all taxes in Michigan are
limited by the Constitution or by
municipal charters, to certain per
cent of the assessed or equalized
valuation of property.
when the average council OF a
city or village finds the assessed
valuation has been raised, the old
percentage Is continued, resulting in
a bigger tax levy and a still heavier
burden for the taxpayer.
ut is because Iof this, largely
that the entire tax levy Of the state
has gone from twenty millions OF
dollars in 1900 to eighty millions OF
dollars in 1915.
Come and Fish WarSiens.
"The game and fish wardens and
fish commission are spending one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars
every year for service that could
well be eliminated or performed bet
ter by local officers.
"A small secret service depart
ment in connection with the Office OF
the Attorney General Of the state
could supplant this commission and
several others of the state that to-
day are costing Michigan near OF
quite a half-million dollars year
"The cost to the state could be
reduced to one-fourth the money
now wasted.
eve have a half-dozen or more
farm Boards that could be Joined
under one management through oui
agricultural college.
/ Fully one-half of boards and
con- missions OF this state should be
eliminated or their work where es'
sential given over to common boards
State Institutions.
The present management OF oul
several state institutions, by separ'
ate boards, appointed rs political
rewards, is little less than n joke
from the standpoint Of economy
and efficiency.
There should be but one central
board, selected for efficiency and not
for political reasons. With such 8
board, there could be saved as much
in Michigan as there has been IN
Ohio, where it is claimed. that 6
million dollars a. year has beer
saved to the taxpayers.
ut must be remembered also, tha
these economies can only be realized
through Budget system. But i
! is we'll 10 consider that a Bulge
J system, must have men back of 4
who have heart, courage, sense ant
backbone. Men who can see thu
taxpayer in tie store and field
while they listen to the appeal To-
appropriations"
: POSTMASTER Whitehead deviatet
from the program and called upol
A. F. Benson of Minneapolis, for
merly principal of the local bigl
school, for few remarks Mr.
: Benson, who Is now prominen
| tn nst fnu