South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-12

10 over 100000. l could cite you
20 many other similar instances, all
conclusively proving the falIscy OF
the contention that you can Jegis-
late honesty into people.
The supporters OF the % per cent
valuation OF credits" theory cite
what they claim &c be similar
changes made in Minnesota's tax
| law in 1910 and the good results OBJ
tanned thereby. II Is claimed that in
Minnesota the legislature passed in
1910 an act providing for the tax
alton OF credits" at the fiat rate of
mills or 80 per 81, valuation
and that this action resulted in the
[ assessment Of Sis. 100000 valu-
alton Of credits in 1911. the first
year the law went into effect. as
against $4,000. 900 in 1910. and
that subsequently. the amounts an
nually have increased until in 1918
/ the valuation Of credits" assessed
was $3.50. 100000.
II is claimed that in 1910 only g.
/ 200 people in Minnesota paid taxes
on credits" that in 1911 this num-
/ Der was increased TO $1,000: that
there has been a gradual increase
annually and that in 1918. $4,000
people listed credits" for taxation.
This is admittedly good argument.
but il will not overthrow the unfair
ness of the proposition of assess
| ing a 500 horse at s1C0 and 800
bank account at only S25. Under
the Minnesota constitution property
I is classified for taxation. The In
diana constitution will not permit
classification. I'm Minnesota iron
ore is assessed at so per cent of its
value. household furniture at % per
cent, live stock. merchandise and
manufactured articles and unplatted
real estate at 33 1-3 per cent AMI
plated real estate at 40 per cent
therefore there is some reason for
only taxing credits" at 3-mill
rate. But this is not true in In
diana. where it is proposed TO as
sess for taxation all OF these chat
tells as enumerated, at the full 100
per cent and credits at only %
per cent.
The writer Of this letter is a Sc
questered tax investigator, common
| ~ nicknamed tax ferret" st pres
ent employed 10 assist the COUNTY
officials in seven different Indiana
counties. He has been actively en-
| gagged in this work for seventeen
years His work is based solely on
data and evidence not of record in
the state OF Indiana not
on matters which local officials can
/ themselves discover but for
eign investments of parties who re-
side in Indiana. In the last five
years over s2O.OOO,O0O valuation
Of omitted taxable property con-
sisting of such foreign investments
| have been assessed and added TO
the county tax duplicates as re-
suit of his Investigations and the
/ taxes due thereon amounting to
hundreds OF thousands of dollars
have been collected.
Some Honest "Fcrrets."
He claims that he has done his
work faithfully. honestly and
squarely in every particular. and he
invites the fullest investigation Of
/ his methods and the results which
( he has obtained. He is not seek
/ ing to give himself any self com
mendation, but he resents the i'm
putation emanating from Mr.. Sims
and other members of the state tax
/ board that tax ferrets' are large
/ ly irresponsible, because such gen.
/ era lization is unfair and uncalled
for: and he denies that a 'taX fer
I ret" is armed with letter of mar
/ que and reprisal," as Mr. Sims is
| reported TO have stated at the re-
cent meeting Of the county asses
sorS but on the contrary points out
that tax ferrets are merely special
investigators employed to procure
the outside data and Information
not of local record, which the coun-
| ty officials themselves utilities 10
/ y ssess omitted and sequestered pro-
perty.
He respectfully suggests that the
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