Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1910 — Estel E. Pierson Now a Tax Ferret in South Dakota. [ARTICLE]

Estel E. Pierson Now a Tax Ferret in South Dakota.

J. M. Pierson, who recently moved to Mitchell, S.- Dak., writes a v short letter saying that a fine fall has prevailed at Mitchell and that Mrs. Pierson has enjoyed much improved health since going there. He says that he is workfng every day and considers that a fine country, although somewhat colder than it was where they spent last year, in Muskogee, Ok) a. He sends a clipping of a newspaper relating to a case junt decided by the supreme court of that state. The commissioners of Minnehaha county contracted with two tax ferrets, one of whom was Estel E. Pierson, formerly of Union township, Jasper county, and once the republican candidate for county clerk. The ferrets went to wdrk and dug up something like a million dollars worth of sequestered securities in the form of mortgages. The law there is the same as in Indiana, providing fob the taxation of mortgages, which amounts to a double tax. It seemed to be a gen-, eral practice there to fail to report mortgages for taxation and the tax ferrets had easy sailing, but an organization was formed among mortgage owners and action brought to restrain the ferrets from proceeding with their work. The circuit court decided against the ferrets. The paper expresses the hope that tax ferrets wjll be put to work in enough states to create general sentiment against the law that provides for the taxation of mortgages. There is much criticism in this state also about the taxation of mortgage indebtedness, which amounts to the taxation a second time of the value represented by the mortgage and there seems no reason for the existence of the law, but no effort seems to have been made to repeal it.

T. D. Johnson, who left Monticello and located at Fayettesville, Ark., is not pleased with the change, and in a letter to the Monticello Journal tells the reason why. He says the country is erroneously advertised by real estate men, whom he accuses of being a set of grafters. He says they are making a good thing off credulous northern and eastern people. He says the so-called fruit farms are a great hoax, especially the apples. It would be hard to find an orchard that it not for sale, he states, owing to the fact that only about once in five years they have a crop. Changeable weather in the spring ruins the buds. He says he has seen just as nice apples and peaches in Indiana as he has in Arkansas. There are water famines in the summer also to cause‘trouble. The system of taxation there is fierce, according to Mr. Johnson, who says that every business and about everything one owns is taxed. It costs from $lO to SSO to start a hotel or boarding house, for license alone. Private buggies pay an annual tax of from $4 to $7 and cabs from $lO to $25, and a fee of $1.75 is for the issuance of the license. Every voter is charged $5 per year for street improvement and he says the streets of Fayetteville show that the money goes for graft instead of improvement. No Arkansas for me, says Mr. Johnson, I’m going back to my wife’s relation.

D. D. Gleason was down from Keener township today. He had been in Chicago about a week, attending the stock show and looking after some business. He was 70 years of age Monday, but don’t look it, and we don’t believe he feels it, either. Asked what he raised on his Keener township farm this year he replied: 500 bushels of potatoes, 1,460 bushels of oats, 1,000 bushels Of corn and 430 bushels of wheat. Mr. Gleason favors the building of needed public improvements and he would like to see the new road built in that township, but realizes that the appropriation is not large enough and that it can’t be built until the estimate is raised. The lecture course committee made no mistake when they selected L. B. Wickersham for one of the numbers of the course. People of Sparta have listened to many great men, but in the estimation of a large majority of the audience Monday evening, the Wickersham lecture was the finest ever heard in Sparta. He carried his audience by storm. For one hour and three quarters he held his audience so closely that the time seemed far too short, and when he closed the people were loth to leave their seats. He came to Sparta a stranger, but he will be welcomed again at any time in the future.—Sparta (Mich.) Sen- ( tinel-Leader. At M. E. church, Friday evening, Dec. 9.

The Indianapolis city council ha; every appearance of being composed of a lot of boys. The proceedings, with charges and semi-charges against public utility companies trying to influence legislation, and with bickerings that assail the honor of members of the council, make the published proceeding look very ridiculous. 1 Our underwear business has certainly been phenominal—way beyond our expectations. If you haven’t bought your entire winter’s supply, better get In now. All sizes in stock, and buy of the firm that buys in case lots, direct from the maker. ROWLES & PARKER. Harsh physics react, weaken the bowels, cause chronic constipation. Doan's Regulets operate easily, tone the stomach, cure constipation. 25c. Ask your druggist for them. Accidents will happen, but the best, regulated families keep Dr. Thomas’ Eclectic Oil for such emergencies. It subdues the pain and heals the hurts.