Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1931-06-11
COLUMBUS LETTER
(BS Chas. w. Rife)
Taxation Problem

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Taxation Problem
The present session of the gen
eral assembly is expected to come &C
an end within another two weeks.
when the members will return to
their homes to hear what the votere
think of their actions during the
past five months. The vexins tax
alton problem is nearing solution
but only time will tell just how sue
cessful it will prove in actual oper-
ations. Taxpayers generally hope
for a reduction in their real estate
assessments. That has been prom
ised and nothing less than sub
stantial reductions will suffice. It
NAV be that until the statements for
the next installment of taxes is due,
the voters won't know just where
they stand. There has been grow
ing sentiment against any general
sales tax, as well as the special to-
bacco and amusement taxes. 1t is
probable that both will fail to be in
cluded in the taxation bill. In ad-
dition to the taxation measure the
general appropriation bill must be
passed. The state treasury is run
ming low. and only by the transfer
of funds from one department to an
other has it been possible to meet
the payroll of state employees. This
borrowed money, paid in throush
special taxes, must be returned i'm
mediately after July 1st when the
new appropriation bill becomes eff.
fective. The return of hundreds OF
thousands of dollars to the high
way and other divisions is going TO
cut a tremendous slice Of the mon
ey that will be available for state
operating expenses during the next
biennial But at the present rate
the legislators are moving it will be
around July 1st when Ohio voters
will know just what kind of a tax
alton measure has been put up to
them to meet for the next two years
at least.
o. S. u. Graduation
Fourteen hundred students, rep
resenting every county in the state
of Ohio, almost every state in the
union, and many foreign countries
have completed their studies and
will be graduated this week from
Ohio State University The first
appearance of this large class was
Sunday when the annual baccalau
reate exercises were held in the
mems gymnasium. Former Presi-
dent William Oxley Thompson was
speaker. The recent refusal of the
board of trustees to employ a ia
nous educator for another year, has
given the university nation wide
publicity. There are many argu
ments both in favor and against the
action of the trustees. 1t is one of
the most delicate issues that has
ever faced this great institution,
and its friends are divided both as
to the wisdom of the action and the
ultimate effect it is going TO have
on the schools enrolment and its
high place in educational circles.
Efforts to inject "red" activities
and propaganda at the school have
had considerable bearing on the
case.
New Marriage License Law
Probate judges of Ohio estimate
that thousands of dollars will be
lost as a result of the bill approved
by Governor George White which
makes effective in July the law re-
quiring five days notice before a
marriage license can be issued,
They say the new law will be more
detrimental than beneficial, and
that many young couples will find it
convenient travelling in Kentucky
and other nearby states where the
license can be secured on personal
application. Judge Homer Bost-
wick, Of the Franklin county pro
bate courts, says that ''It takes only
a few hours to drive to another
state without the restrictions, and
many people seeking a marriage Ii
cense will make the drive rather
than wait the prescribed length of
time fora license. No one seems to
know Just who backed the bill un-
less it was florists, dressmakers,
etc, who will use the information
when an application for a license is
filed to go after the wedding busi-
ness.
DrOuth Relief Loans
About 1900 farmers in Ohio re-
ceived from the federal government
drouth relief fund loans for the
purchase of seed and fertilizer. The
total amount of the 1900 loans was
slightly less than 1925, 600, federal
officials said This amount repre-
sents Ohios share of the S45, 5,000,-
600 fund made available by con-