Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-04

<Seople. In my Onion the decision Of the
supreme court was wholly unjustt1able,
but II is "the boss" and what can you
do about It?
Mr.. Risk says: until our constitu-
tion viii permit of the proper classified
ton Of property increasing difficulties
will always block the enforcement of a.
lust and equitable tax law" / object to
this as democratic doctrine; but If our
platform declares for classification" 1t
should be honest and declare for the ac-
companying feature of classification
"and a lower tax rate on Intangible
property than on other property" That
was the republican proposition, when
was included In the original bill for the
present tax law; but which was defeated
by the democrats in the legislature. 1t Is
what has accompanied classification
wherever 1t has been adopted. In fact,
there is no other object for classification.
The people are in no mood for another
tax law that does not mean what It says
nor for any declarations ON the tax law
that are not explicit, and without any
ambiguity. Personally, believe the large
majority of the people are satisfied that
true cash value assessment, which is what
the law has always provided for. Is the
only rational mode of assessment. But
they want the unconstitutional provisions
for interference with local self-govern-
ment removed, and the provision of the
old law for expert members restored and
enforced If yons should propose to man.
age any large private business in 1ndl-
ana, without single expert in the busi-
ness in the management every business
man IN the state would say you were
crazy The tax business is the biggest
business in Indiana. 1t reaches to every
home. The people pay in from 100000
900 to $4,000, 900 each year for regular
taxes, in addition to special assessments
fer streets etc. The state tax board has
control of the whole business, and there
: IS not a tax expert on the board, and
rhere never has been one.
One tax expert on the state tax board
last year would have been easily worth
100000 to the state. In the matter OF
banks alone there is now over S23, 000OO0
escaping taxation, because the state tax
board did not understand It's business.
The authors Of the law protested that
their special purpose was to bring In
tangibles, and especially money, on to
the tax duplicate. Gov. Goodrich drew
dazzling pictures of what would be done
in that line. But there is not a banking
institution in Indiana that will not pay
less taxes this year than it did last
year; not one that will not pay less in
proportion than other property. The
continued effort to conduct the tax bust
ness Of the state without even one ex-
pert on the board is the most appIing
piece Of idiocy that was ever tolerated
by a free, self governing people who
made any pretension to intelligence.
=
Mr.. Risk would declare for the
initiative and referendum. But which
one? We have had the referendum in
Indiana for seventy years. as to consti-
F6tional amendments. The makers of the
constitution provided that no amendment
to the constitution should be adopted
\ except by vote of a "majority of the
electors Of the state" There are several
recognized amendments in force, but not
One Of them was adopted as provided by
the constitution. The supreme court
eEades the constitution by declaring that
in case of special elections 1t does not
know how many electors there are in the
state In 1880 a number Of amendments
were voted on at a-generaI election, and
were declared defeated by the supreme
court, because they received less than
half Of the vote cast for candidates at
the game election. In 1881 the same
amendments were again submitted, and