Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-08-08
new LOAN IN FORM
OF STATE TAX
Meeting of Members of State Legisla-
ture In and About Cedar Rapids
Held Last Friday.
NEW BILL PROVIDING
A DRAFT OF MONEY
Bill Prepared to Levy Tax on all Pro-
perry to Purchase States Quo
ia of War Bonds.

The following article is taken from
the Cedar Rapids Republican of Fri
day, and whether the proposition gets
any further we do not know, but
print the proposition in full below:
"A meeting of the members of the
state legislature in and about Cedar
RAPIDS was held at the Montrose hotel
FRIDAY afternoon. The occasion was
the consideration of whether or not
it would be advisable to bring ND at
a possible special meeting Of the ,egis-
lature bill providing a draft of mo-
ney IL Iowa in much the same man
ner that the men were drafted
The bill authorizes the executive
council OF the state to purchase from
the federal government United States
bonds, or Liberty Bonds, to the
amount equal TO Iowa's share in the
expense OF carrying on the war.
Then, after the state has bought
the bonds, she is authorized to appor-
ton to each property owner a tax of
"a certain amount Of mills On the dol
lar, according to the amount of his
property. The money must then be
paid, as the measure is compulsory
one, by the owner of the property.
The bill is advocated by many. the
claim being made that it is a fair and
impartial way to raise the amount of
money necessary for Iowa to subscribe
to the second Liberty Loan, which
may come soon. 1t is thought that
with conditions as they are at present,
there will be considerable difficulty
in bringing forward the amount nee
essary for the second loan when it
comes, and a bill of this sort would
eliminate all the soliciting and resoli-
citing necessary by the voluntary
method
1t Is a method of conscripting mo-
ney in the same manner that our men
have been conscripted. 1t will make
every property owner subscribe his
share, and man may not refuse to
subscribe TO the loan because he is a
German sympathizer.
The money will be handled in the
same way that the Liberty Loan has
been handled. The money that will
be 'cOnscripted" from the property
owners will be taken over by the state
and the owner will receive a warrant
for his money which will pay the same
amount of interest that the voluntary
loan paid.
In case a special meeting of the leg
stature should be called in the near
future, the bill it as thought bv some,
should be brought up, and as result
the meeting of the neighboring sena-
tors and representatives was held at
the Montrose.
Text of the Bill.
Following is the text of the pro-
posed bill:
For an act authorizing the state of
Iowa to subscribe for and purchase
United States government bonds, is
sued for the purpose of carrying on
the war against the imperial govern
ment of Germany and to authorize
the levy and collection of tax of.
mills on the dollar upon the taxab BILE
property within the state for the pur-
pose of providing fund available for
priation therefore.
Whereas, the government of the
United States is now at war with the
imperial government of Germany,
and,
Whereas, Iowa's share of the ex-
pense of the war as apportioned by
the federal government will be in the
aggregate sum of approximately :.
millions of dollars, and,
Whereas, tax of mills on
the dollar upon the taxable property
of the state will yield approximately
said amount.
Now, therefore, be it enacted by
the General Assembly of the state of
Iowa:
Section THAT the Executive
Council of the state of Iowa is hereby
authorized. empowered a1d directed
to make levy in the sum Of.
mills on the dollar on the taxable
property within the state of Iowa,
which levy shall be certified to the
Board Of Supervisors of the several
counties of the state, within thirty
600 days after the taking effect of
this act.
Sec. at shall be the duty of the
several Boards of Supervisors to levy
after same has been certified as pro-
vided in Section One % hereof, and
the same shall at once be spread up
on the taxbooks of the several cou1-
ties and collected by the county
treasurers of the several counties in
the same manner as other taxes, ex-
cept that there shall be no division OF
the same in payments and the whole
of such tax shall be due and payable
with the first semi-annual ilstallment
of taxes collectib.e after the said tax
has been levied as hereinbefore pro-
vided.
Sec. 3.-The Executive Council of
the State of Iowa is hereby authoriz-
ed, empowered and directed to pur-
chase from the federal government
liberty bonds of such government in
an amount equal to the State or
Iowa's share of the expense of said
war, as apportioIed by said federal
government, not exceeding the sum
of. millions of dollars.
Sec. 4.-The Executive Council Is
hereby authorized, empowered and
directed to sell said bonds purchased
by it at par or to exchange the same
for interest bearing certificates, which
the treasurers of the several counties