The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-02-06
CAIN OPPOSES
TAX COMMISSION
Bill and States Legitimate Reas.
ons For So Doing. He Also
Comments on Other Bills
Which Have Recently Been
Introduced.


State Tax Commission was passed in
the Senate by vote of Sc to .. and in
the House by IS to 2S, or a total of I0l
to 80 In its favor.
The bill was introduced on the rec
concentration of the Tax Commission
whose chairman. M. M. Logan, 10 an
address to the Assembly, claimed that
the appropriation was needed for the
purpose of employing eleven tax ex-
perts lone for each Congressional Dis.
trict) whose duties would be to search
for unlisted, intangible property, and
that he felt safe in making the asser-
ton that for the $50. 900 Invested"
they would return $500, 900 in taxes.
Your Representative was opposed to
and voted against the bill, and "Mr.
Speaker. rise to explain my vote"
In the first place we are already EN-
ploying three sets of officials to uncover
this hidden list, namely: The Asses
sors, the Board of Supervisors and the
Special Agents, and the assurance that
additional officers would render any
better service is largely problematical.
Now, of course, am not an autnori-
ty on revenue and taxation and while
came here more or less pre- JUDGED
against the new revenue laws, at the
sa me time realize that the members
of the General Assembly who enacted
these laws must have been men of good
reasoning and sound Judgment, and
that they were advised by educated
men of wide experience in such matters
and therefore came open to convic.
ton. | have carefully read the report
of the Tax Commission which, by the
way, is quite interesting. No word of
Mr.. Logan's address escaped ME and
was profoundly impressed by his as
sertion of being able to return ten for
one on the appropriation. This looked
like good business and it was made to
appear that a member of the Leeisla-
ture who opposed the measure was
sadly lacking in business acumen and
deserved the finger of scorn fro:, his
colleagues and constituency
However, after having counseled with
men in whom have the utmost conf
dence, it became clearly evident to me
that the new laws are designed to pro-
tect money, notes and bonds and to lay
the burden of taxation upon farms and
other real estate.
Under this law money In bank is
taxed one tenth OF Que per cent. only,
and for State purposes solely. If man
owns bonds and mortgages his tax list
is but 40 ceuts on the 800, or four
enths Of one per cent, and that for the
State only. The man owning farm is
taxed for State purposes 40 cents on the
800 and in addition the farmers of our
county must pay all the expenses of
county government as well.
1t looks like bad situation SO far as
farm owners are concerned, and be-
lieve the ultimate purpose OF the thirg
is to place the burden of pay ing the ex-
penses OF government upon the owners
of real estate.
The effect of the aforesaid appro-
priation will be to enlarge the powers of
the Tax Commission which, believe, is
dangerous.
Now, Mr.. Banker and Mr.. Business
Man, understand, that l am not I'M
mindful of nor Indifferent to your in
terests We farmers need yod and we
believe that we are of benefit to you
and that any legislation that is detri-
me ntal to the farmer is also harmful to
your enterprises.
The Statewide Prohibition Amend
me mt Is now a law and will be submit.
ted to the voters in November, 1919.
am proud to state that had the honor
of assisting in its enactment, and sin
cerely hope that the Louisville Herald's
correspondent is correct In his predic-
ton that prohibition will carry in the
State by a majority of 100, 900 or more.
A rather elaborate Public School Bill
has been introduced whose purpose.
among other changes. is to raise the
standard of efficiency and to increase
the compensation OF teachers. For this
alone the law Is worthy of enactme mt
and besides 1t has other commendable
features. 1t Is regarded favorably in
both Houses and will undoubtedly be.
come law.
The bill providing for vote on pub
lie road bonds with magisterial districts
as units was reported favorably by the
lCommittee on Public Roads but Is de-