The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-03-31
A SYSTEM TO REMEDY

/ ANlAGt y-SlA SOuiliSo Ill hloooul
have returned to them by the State
more money than they pay into the
State Treasury in taxes. In an ar
ticle some time since we mentioned
the fact that st. Francois county re-
ceived back from the State $13, 34172
more than it paid to it in taxes. This
is not only a prosperous county agri-
culturally, but it is rich in developed
mineral resources that net the ope-
rating companies millions of dollars
annually. Why should it be a pen
sioner upon the State? There is Jas
per county, another rich mineral dis
trict, where operators are piling up
fortunes; it even surpasses St. Fran
co.'s county as sponge on the State,
for it received back last year $685.
042.54 more than it paid to the State
in taxes.
We have called attention to the fact
that the lead companies realty hold
ings of st. Francois county are as
sessed at only one-fourth to one-half
as much as farm and other real prop
erty, if the popular impression that
real property is assessed at 35 to 40
per cent of its value is correct.
The same condition doubtless pre-
walls in Jasper county, But there
is something radically wrong in a tax
system, or in the way the system is
administered, when SO counties of the
State are a drain on it, and about 8
counties and two or three of the larg-
est cities practically furnish all the
support the State government gets
from direct taxation.
OF course, in cities like st. Louis
the assessment of property must be
placed high in order to raise the rev.
enue necessary to maintain their mu-
nicipal governments, but there ought
to be some sort of system of assess
ment and taxation that would relieve
them of paying more than their pro-
portion of State taxes. 1t is problem
that the best and most constructive
minds the next Legislature may have
among its members ought to take
hold of and work out.
And this suggests the thought that
we give too little attention to the
selection of our representatives to
the General Assembly. The people
have come to look upon the Legisla-
ture, not exactly as a joke, but as a
sort of political kindergarten to which
ambitious young lawyers, business
men, farmers and school teachers,
who aspire to public life, may be sent
to give them a start up the ladder.
Instead we need men of solid ex-
perience in law, business, agriculture,
education and the trades, whose prac-
tical knowledge may be brought to
bear upon all new laws, revisions or
repeats affecting their various call
ings. Clearheaded lawyers to see that
all bills are properly drawn and the
practical experience of the others to
see that justice and a square deal is
melted out to all. Keen business men
to guard against extravaganza and
waste in appropriations and to keep
the expenses of the State government
and its various institutions within the |
revenue. 1t follows, of course, that
there must be honesty of purpose
among the members and genuine de-
sire to serve the people as whole,
placing these above personal consid-
erations of political ambition and adj
Is it too much to ask of human ma
ure? Perhaps-but the people should
begin to give more attention to the
of their Representatives in
he Legislature and get the best ma
,erial possible to look after the States
and business affairs.
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