, 1923-08-02

war. So careful and conservative
an observer az Ex- Governor Lowden
OF Illinois. said at the National
Credit Mems Association meeting at
Atlanta. Georgia. in June that Tax
alton Is increasing faster than
wealth. and that governmental ex-
travagance threatens 10 undermine
the natinal structure" Quoting the
Constitution at the outset OF his
speech. Governor Lowden charged
that in spite OF the limits imposed
by the document. national wealth
WAS being absorbed by taxation and
predicted the downfall of the gov
eminent II reckless and e~xtravagant
Expenses were not curtailed. A pro
life cause Of the rapidly increasing
cost OF government. Lowden said.
was the number OF public agencies
having the power to levy taxes.
| When all OF these taxes are totaled
they dangerously approach tho line
of conflscation.
To check the growing extrava-
gance on the part OF the Govern
ment Lowden urged hat the munic-
Qualities and states provide their
own needs and leave to the Govern
mant the task OF caring for genuine
lily national needs. Encroachment
upon the authority Of state officials
by the horde of Bureaucrats-an
~outgrowth Of Governmental extrav-
/ Observation-Disclosures a break down in
the local self government Of Amer
lea, he declared.
While the foregoing interests
everyone. yet our trouble Is prin-
cipally in local taxes. The need OF
! retrenchment needs to begin at
! home. WI should see that every
| dollar expended. does an honest
| dollars worth OF work. and we want
to commence on our schools. Do
nothing to destroy their efficiency.
but cut out all superficial matters
and get down to such work as will
prepare the pupils to TAX the place
of good citizens In the land. Where
one is enough to do the work. lot
one do it. and let the officers know
they are not a privileged class. but
are tn eservants of the people who
elected them. and IL they are not
good servants they will be replaced
by ones who realize they are to
serve the people and not themselves.
The relations OF this Association
with the railroads rave always been
on Q reasonable basis and we have
never gone to one OF the railroads
with a reasonable proposition that
we have not been treated with
courtesy and fairness. But. Of late
there Is so little the railroads can
do themselves. that It Is very IN
satisfactory treating with them:
there Is so much OF the business
turned over to boards. that are in
no way responsible for the proper
functioning OF the railroads. and
the railroads are subjected to great
expense by these Boards: witness
the valuation OF the railroads by
the experts OF the Interstate Com
of the Chicago. Milwaukee and St.
Paul Railroad. in an address said:
The authors of this valuation plan |
told us hen 1t was started in 1913
that 1t would cost only about two
and a half million dollars and that
II would save $50 times that much ,
in n year. The valuation has now
going on for ten years. has
the government twenty three
millions and h railroads sixty
millions and hasn't done a darn
The valuation act of 1913. which
drawn up by Senator LaFollette
the basis to be used and
everyone. especially those who now
are dissatisfied with the findings.
knew Just what was going on for
ten years. Now these same people
who wanted n physical valuation in
1919 say the basis should be the
value OF the stock. and they esti-
mate that this will give n value OF
thirteen billions as the actual money
invested. instead OF approximately
billions established by the
Interstate Commerce Commission In
1920. plus subsequent additions.
The determination OF this thirteen
billion dollars figure which Is Of
fered by these gentlemen IL one OF
tho colossal jokes OF the country"
How much OF h costs OF this
a"ppraisement will be charged to the
livestock interests. Is OF course a
matter of conjecture. but the costs
must b. paid and how much We
viii be charged Is a matter OF con
lecture but We viii. OF course. have
20 pay our full share.
Laying aside the merits or de-
merits OF the valuation arrived nj
by the experts. the results furnish
a striking illustratin OF how the
public funds arc expended on un-
satisfactory Investigations and in