Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-14


highest Indiana court.
At the time the suit was filed, the tax
payers contended that the horizontal in
creases ordered by the state board were
not fair.
This contention is not forgotten by the
legislators who so far have not fallen
under the control OF fAe Goodrich ad-
ministrstion forces.
Many members of the house are con-
tending that the Goodrich "cure-ail
plan of legalizing invalid actions Of the
state board will not permanently settle
the tax problem in this state.
The legislators do not hesitate to state
that it is their opinion that the legaliz-
ing scheme is merely election medicine
to temporarily wipe out the mistakes OF
the Goodrich administration by patching
the ragged record and give 1t a coat of
whitewash for the election season,
There are many of the members who
doubt that the legislature has the legal
right to declare valid certain acts by
state board which the supreme court
has found to be Illegal.
They contend that such a program
virtually destroys the power of the su-
preme court and could set aside prac-
tically any constitutional decision of that
court
The first skirmish over the administra-
tons legalizing program occurred late
yesterday in the house when the ways
and means committee reported the ad-
ministration's legalizing bill for pas
sage with an amendment.
The republican members Of the com
mittee were solidly in favor of the bill
and the democratic members were
unitedly opposed to IL.
Representative Benz stated that he was
opposed to legalizing acts which the
courts had held to be invalid, and
charged that the bill contained no pro-
vision for relmbursing taxpayers who
had paid amounts in excess Of those held
to be legal.
Representative Cam Of Frankfort as
serted that he might be compelled Ito
vote the democratic ticket by opposing
the legalizing act"
HOUSE VOTES FOR
MAJORITY REPORT.
This was branded as "quibbling" by
the speaker, and the house voted down
the minority report, adopting the ma
jority report for passage.
As amended by the committee, the legal
izing bill provides that appeals from al
legged over-assessments shall be made to
ex-otficio members Of the board OF re-
-
and county assessor, and not 10 the
county commissioners, as the original bill
provided.
Another bill affecting the tax problem
was introduced by Representative Laugh
lin and Is now in the hands OF the eides
and towns committee.
The Laughlin bill provides, that in
any town or city where the county
treasurer collects the general taxes for
the municipality 1t shall be the duty
Of the treasurer TO collect all special
assessments for local improvements after
the city clerk has provided the treasurer
with an alphabetical list Of all local i'm
provements for which assessments are to
be made.
Representative Green now has IN the
hands OF the judiciary committee
bill that all property, real and personal.
which Is subject TO taxation and not
specifically exempt. shall be assessed
and valued for taxation at one-haf Of
its true cash value
HENRY THERE
WITH GRAVY"
Representative Henry Abrams intro
ddced by request" nice little gravy
bill" providing for expense account ap-
propriatlons for township trustees.
Abrams little plan Of helping the
trustees would make the taxpayers pay
the following expenses OF the township
trustees; Travelling expenses, telephone
rent, postage, office stationery and other
things.
Under the Abrams plan the township
advisory board would annually appro-
pirate in townships Of the frst-class
sum not to exceed 81 1000 as expense
money for the township trustees.
The amounts which might be appro-
priated In the other classes OF townships
range from $500 to 5000.
Gov. Goodrich's bill. proposing state
ownership of a mine TO furnish fuel TO
state institutions has been introduced
under the designation of house bill No.
ga.
Representative Charles L. Mendelhall
Of Hendricks county introduced the bill.
An appropriation Of 5000 600 is provid
ed in the measure.
CLAIM SAVING
OF S4O0.O 900.
By appropriating this amount, It is
pointed ont IN the bill that approx
mateIy 100000 may be saved on the
supply Of 100000 tons Of coal for the
first year.
The bin, which was referred to tho
ways and means committee, would grant
authority to a subcommittee OF the joint
purchasing board to acquire and oper-
ate coal mines and purchase or lease
coal cars and award contracts for oper-
alton of the mines.
Following closely on the heels of the
bill for state ownership of mines is Bill
No. 54s, introduced by Representative
William NJ. Swain of Madison county,
which would provide a supply of coal
cars for the transportation of the coal to
its destination.
The bill is entitled "bill to amend sec
ton 5 of an act entitled an act touching
common carriers over railroads In this
state and matters connected Herewith ="
approved March II, 1907, and declaring
an emergency.
RAILROADS MUST
FURNISH CARS.
Every carrier subject to the provision
Of this act shall furnish all parties APP
plying, suitable cars for the transporta-
ton of freight in car lots reads part
of the bill.
If this number of cars is inadequate
to supply the whole number, the carrier
shall distribute all its available equip
ment between applicants and in proper
tion to their respective requirements for
immediate use and without discrimina
ton"
One OF the provisions of the bill. how