The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1918-05-02
THE TAX SITUATION
Statement of the Majority of the
Members of the State Board of
Equalization With Reference to
the Equalization Of the Assessed
Valuation of the Real and Per-
sonal Property of the State.

the Equalization of the Assesse
Valuation of the Real and Pc
sonal Property of the State.
L The undersigned members of tn
State Board of Equalization are nc
able to agree to the recommendation
made by the State Tax Commission
The total assessed valuation of tn
City OF Saint Louis on money, bond.
notes and other evidences of indebt
edness, as returned by the Assesso
and recommended by the Tax Com
mission, is $I6,67o,ooo.oo Last yea
the same class of property was re
turned by the Assessor at $24,14o.
10000. The assessed valuation of al
property which comes within tn
classification of "all other persona
property" is $37,7S6,2Io.oo. This elias.
includes all household goods, furn
ture, clothing and personal effects
automobiles, jewelry, works of art
etc.
1t is evident that the wealth of the
City OF Saint Louis belonging to these
classes has not been returned for tax
alton. and we are not willing to place
large speculative values on other
classes of property in the counties,
while these classes of enormous value
in the city escape taxation entirely.
An examination OF the returns Of
the Assessors and the recommends
tions of the Tax Commission dis
closes that the Commission proposed
substantial, and in many instances
very large fractional, raises in the
valuation OF the real estate farm
lands and town lots) in thirtysix
counties and the City of Saint Louis.
These counties and the City of Saint
Louis constitute about seventy-three
per cent in value OF the real estate of
the State. We have tried to reach,
as nearly as possible, the average at
which majority in value Of the real
estate of the State has been returned
by the Assessors and equalized upon
that basis. We have accepted the
valuations made by the Assessors on
about fifty per cent in value OF the
real estate OF the State.
Many of the most striking Unequal
tiles in valuations are found in the
returns OF the Assessors and in, the
recommendations of the Tax COM
mission The following are but few
of the great many.
Farm lands in Lafayette County arc
assessed at an average OF $So.0I per
acre, while in the adjoining County OF
Johnson they are assessed at an av-
erage of $1,000, and in the adjoining
County of Saline at an average OF
$74.44 per acre; in Clinton County
they are assessed at all average Of
$4o57 per acre, and'in the adjoining
County of DeKalb at an average OF
$S2.3I per acre. In Sullivan County
they are assessed at an average OF
$500 per acre. and in the adjoining
County of Adair at an average of
$3737 per acre, and in Knox at an
average of $32.5o per acre. In Law
renee County they are assessed at an
average of $25.73 per acre, and in the
County of Greene at all a,
erage OF $5I.72 per acre. In Jasper
County they are assessed at an aver
age of S462I per acre, and in s..
Francois at an average of $I33.45 per
acre: in Dunklin County they are as
sessed at an average of $49.4I per
acre. in Stoddard at an average OF
$27.oS per acre, in Mississippi at an
average of $1,000 per acre, and in
Scott at an average of $3I.66 per acre.
Mules are assessed in Atchison Coun-
ty at an average of $I27.o2 per head,
and in the adjoining County OF Nod
away at an average of $oI.74 per head;
in Charlton County they are assessed
at an average of $oS!2I per head, and
in the adjoining County OF Saline 1T
an average of $I2o35 per head; in p.
Boone they are assessed at an aver
age of $o8o5 per head. in Galloway :.
at an average of $o8.44 per head and
in Cooper at an average of $12I.Io per
head. In Moniteau County sheep are '
assessed at an average of $3.50 per
head, in Cooper at an average OF
1888 per head, in Morgan at an aver
age of $5.I3 per head, and Benton at +,
an average OF $6.48 per head. In ,
Shannon County cattle are assessed
1t an average of $3.50 per head and
n Dent at an average of $36.4S per
read. In Lewis County they are as
'essed at an average of $3.50 per
1ead, and in Clark at an average OF
S3o.35 per head. and in Knox at an
average of $426o per head In Scot
and County hogs are assessed at an
average of $I5.2I per head. in Lewis
1t an average of $I5.Io per head. in
Knox at an average of 1888 per head.
md in Clark at an average of So.SS
yer head.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
made an appeal to all the Governors
md State taxing authorities to make
10 increases. in the taxes to be paid
~ the railroads, as they are, in Ell
ect, being operated by the federal
government and it is responsible for
heir exnenses We believe If sc the