The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-02-11
INTANGIBLE ASSETS ESCAPE
TAXATION.

TAXATION.
A. Ii. Cook Discusses State Prob.
lens at G. of C. Meeting.
A. B. Cook of Maple River. Master
of the State Grange, and Rev. Dunning
Idle, pastor Of the First M. E church,
We're the principal speakers at the Cham
berlof Commerce banquet at the armorv
Tuesday. Lieut.. Gov. Thomas Read,
who was to have been on the program,
ives unable to come because of a night
session of the senate. He promised to
come later.
Mr.. Cook touched on numerous sub
jects, including taxes, state govern
ment, politics. and moral reform. He
declared he was not in favor of low
tax budget, but that he was willing to
pay his share of the cost of all improve.
ments in the nature of good roads, bet
ter schools. and other things that go to
make life better. He expressed desire.
however, to see taxes distributed more
equitably, asserting that eal,estste. or
visible assets. are already assessed for
all they should be, but that invisible or
intangible assets are not paying their
just proportion of taxes. In support Of
his argument, he cited the case of an
insurance employe in Lansing, who
says he gets one-quarter of his income
from his farm but whose farm pays
three quarters of his taxes. Mr.. Cook
favors the income tax, he said.
Speaking of Governor Groesbeck's g
plan for the consolidation of numerous
state boards, Mr.. Cook declared that he
was in favor of anything that would
increase efficiency in state government,
but he expressed the opinion that this
move would not effect a great deal of
saving to the state, asserting that these
boards cost the state little or nothing,
and the final result is likely to be the
establishment of several high salaried
officials not now on the states pay roll
The speaker repeated his statement
made at the Republican County Con.
vention urging national presidential
primary held in every state on the same
day, and his advocacy of making it
necessary for candidate to secure more
signatures on his petition. He spoke
against the bill now pending in the
state legislature increasing the salaries
ef the supreme court justices from
81, 800 to $12, 900 per year, stating the
voters of the state had already voted
against such a proposition.
Mr.. Cook speaking of the fact that
the average man always believes the
other fellows business is the best, de-
clares that farmers have learned differ
emily since they have come into various
other businesses in co operative way.
I'VE used to think" he said, that
the elevator business was gold mine.
Since we have been operating them
ourselves we have found that 1t is q
business in which no bets can be over
looked. know because l have stock
in two of them"
Rev Idle did not know that he was
to be on the program until he sat down
at the table, and his address was brief.
He spoke on CO operation, stressing the
necessity of co operation If success in
any venture is to be gained. He also
made the assertion that no man amounts
to much until he falls in love with or is
married to his task. He declared that
cooperation can be most effective only
when q sympathetic understanding of
ones fellowmen has been obtained.
L. l.. Conn, president of the Chamber
of Commerce. announced the personnel
of the industrial committee. The mem
bers are: w. G. Cadwallsder, J. E.
Ellis, d. M. Christian, Fred Welch, w.
E Hall, q. e. Rigley, Sr., J. Fl. Rob.
bins, G. P. Bentley, F. B. Woodland and
j. A. Byerly. The advertising commit.
tee was not changed.
The decision Of Bay City firm. which
considered locating here, to remain In
Bay City, was announced.
T he supper was served by the Ladies
Auxiliary of the American Legion, and
was excellent Chop Suey was the prin'
cipal item on the menu.
The personnel of the new agricultural
committee was announced Wednesday
by President Conn. 1t is as follows
Marion Smith, chairman; George U
Wright, VIM. F. Gallagher, Lemuel L.
Laing, Fred M Grove, Albert L. Chand
Ter, Fred e. Hsrtshorn, Otto L. Sprague
Worthy 3. Cooper, Rudolph l.. Colby
J. Watson Hurst.