The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-12-23
CHANGES URGED
IN STATE LAWS
IN MANY WAYS
Judge Robinson Issues An Open
Letter to Legislature of
1921
"cUr DOWN BUREAUS
Would Limit Expenses and
Eliminate Politics from
State Industries

Drastic changes in state laws are
urged by Justice j. E. Robinson, OF
the supreme court, Nonpartisan, In an
open letter addressed to the leglsia
tive assembly.
In addition to demanding revision
Of laws regarding state industries and
reduced valuations, Justice Robinson
asks a repeal of the present highway
commission and motor vehicle acts
with motor vehicle tax imposed IN
lieu thereof; an act radically chang
ing the workmeh's compensation law,
and reduction Of appropriations for
the state educational institutions.
Justice Robinson also asks repeal OF
the annual tax of SIS on lawyers. His
letter follows:
compliments Of Judge Robinson"
To the Legislative Assembly Of 1921:
Gentlemen:
In accordance with my best judg-
ment, | beg leave to advise you that
with some few exceptions, all the
tax laws of the past three years should
be repealed. So far as it is possible
it is high time to throw off the griey-
GUS burdens Of taxation, to break
every yoke and let the oppressed go
free 1t is time to reduce by fifty
per cent all the assessments, appro-
priations and tax levies. The tax
burdens have become grievous and
wholly inexcusable. Boards ana
boards, bureaus and bureaus have
been created for the doing of this and
that, and in every case the overhead
expenses had been ruinous and enor-
nous. In the public service and in
the expenditure of public money there
is neither common business efflcl-
ency nor economy. One remedy is to
cut down the assessments, appropri-
ations, to reduce the number of boards
and bureaus and to limit the expens-
es.
Here is the short title to some acts
commended for passage:
a. An act to provide for the Or
ganization of each state industry un-
der a corporate control, with public
capital and private capital, public di-
rectors and private directors, SO II
may be truly efficient and not in
any way political factOr.
Reduce Assessments
(2) An act to reduce all assessed
valuations for 1920 and to base all
tax levies on the reduced valuations
90 An act to repeal the highway
commission and motor vehicle acts:
Ch. ,131, Laws, 1917,
Ch.' al, Laws, 1919,
Ch. 1872, Laws, 1919,
Ch. "A, Special Session, 1919, and
all acts imposing a motor vehicle tax !;
and in lieu thereof, to subject such
vehicles to assessment and taxation
the same as other personal property
~ An act to amend the work
mems compensation or insurance act
by classifying hazardous employments
and fixing the insurance rates on the
same and limiting the expenses of the
bureau. I'D At
,(5) An act to provide the manner
Of conducting industrial enterprises
by cities andg counties In accordance
with the recent constitutional amend.
ment permitting the state and any
city and county to engage in any in.
dustrial enterprise or business.
Repeal Inspection Law
co An act to repeal Chapter 6
laws, 1919, being an act for the lie.
ensing and inspection of pool halls
theatres, ETC.. and to permit each city
and village to provide lby ordinance
for the inspection and licensing.
(7) An act to repeal the income tax
statute-Chapter 224. Laws. 1919-Ex,
cept so far as the. same relates to net
incomes in excess of ten thousand a
year.
80 An act to limit the inheritance
tax imposed by Chapter 225, Laws
1919, to uniform rate of one pei
cent.
(9) An act to repeal SO much OF
Chapter SO, Laws 1919, as imposes
on attorney-at-law a special tax 81
fifteen dollars year.
10) An act to reduce and limit
the annual appropriations for the uni
versity, the Agricultural college and
the Normal schools, and to authorize
the same to charge each student a
reasonable tuition fee.
Affecting Taxes
(11) An act to repeal Chapter, 219
Laws of 1919, creating the office OF
tax supervisor.
(12) An act to reduce, simplif!
and limit the work and the expense OF
the tax commissioner office, and tt
repeal all section 5, Chapter 213
Laws of 1919, the tax commissioner
act. ..
The tax supervisors and tax com.
missoners have been too we'll dis
- posed to magnify the duties of their
office by increasing the assessments
and tax burdens. The present system
of taxation is ruinous: The state car
i'll afford to continue it.
December "a, 1920.
KLONDTKEF T..