Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-10-14
Becker On Taxation.


| Democrat-Tribune, Jefferson City, Sept.
| 2Sth.)
| Charles U. Becker, member of the
legislature from Polk County and as
sistant secretary of the State High
way Board at good salary is, the Re-
publican nominee for Secretary OF
State. During the last session of the
legislature bill was passed by the
House, with an emergency clause,
providing "for the assessment OF all
property at its full actual value"
Mr.. Becker voted for the measure,
emergency clause and all. 1t was
probably intended as life-sav for
the old and discredited State Tax
Commission, little later along kick
ed out Of office by the Legislature.
incidentally, it may be remarked that
an effort was made when the Repub-
lican platform convention was held
in this city September IA to get a
resolution adopted indorsing the full
valuation plan to help out Mr.. Becker
and State Auditor Hackmann, but
the committee on platform would not
stand for such declaration. 1t is
said that A. M. Hyde, Republican
candidate for Governor, and Seldom
P. Spencer, Republican nominee for
United State Senator, announced
that such a declaration would be
political suicide for the entire ticket,
and they had their way.
1t matters little what the Repub-
lican convention did in the way OF
rejecting the full valuation plan, for
Mr.. Becker is on record and there is
no way he can escape, any more than
Mr.. Hackmann can escape, for he
too, is on record as member OF the
State Board of Equalization.
John l.. Sullivan, the Democratic
nominee for Secretary of State, and
who had no opposition in his own
party, has stood fairly and openly as
member of the State Board oi
Equalization against the unfair policy
of placing enormous valuations or
the owners of farms and city homes
while letting the rich, the millionaire'
who own bonds, high class securities
notes, etc., either escape taxation
entirely or return but ridiculously
small amount to the assessors. He
has contended all along that the State
Tax Commission should from tht
start have devoted its time to secur
ing the listing of property for taxa
tion that has been escaping all taxe'
in the past, in place of putting
enormous valuations on the farms
and city homes. He, State Treasurel
Geo! FL. Middlekamp and Attorney
, General McAllister prevented the ole
State Tax Commission from placing
outrageous valuation on land. Johi
L. Sullion is not single taxer.
Neither is Middlekamp or McAllister
Under fair valuation on the farm
and the city homes there was NOR
! than $3.50 0,OO0 in the State treasur.
September 1, and there will be, in al
probability, $15, 100000 in the treasur.
by the close of the year-all the none.
the State requires, and even more.
. Mr.. Becker dare not go before tn
! home owners in this state and defen
:. full valuation on the farms and city
. homes while the great bulk of wealtl
!, of the State is not assessed at all.
: would be crime to place all tn
taxes on those who own homes an
let the big men of wealth go fre
from taxation, or pay but a YER
small fraction Of what is justly du
from them. There is no way fo
land to escape the assessor.
See House Bill No. 146, and see
!, Mr.. Becker did not vote for i
Fortunately for the owners of home
the Democratic Senate killed th
! measure and kicked the old Tax Con
mission out of office.
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