Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 263, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1914 — REFORMS MERELY 'INCIDENTAL WORK' [ARTICLE]

REFORMS MERELY 'INCIDENTAL WORK'

Missourian adds $5,000,000 Ta Tax List When attention Is Called to Dodging. SHUTH UP "TWIN HELLO* Because of Teachers' Complaint He Stops Liquor Sales oa MHcourt Railroads. Richmond, Mo.—Frank P. DtvslUss* Judge of the Seventh Judicial District, comprising Clay, Ray and Carroll counties, whose reforms have attraeted attention throughout the State, la not of the type of reformers familiar to the public. In fact reforming Is not a part of Judge Dlvelbiss’ program and what he does in that line is merely incidental to his duty as he sees It It merely happened that his attention was called to a tax dodging by a single tax campaigner And the Judge would not stand for the taunt that the tax laws were not enforced. As a result more than $5,000,000 hidden property was listed for taxation In hls three counties and a score of men were fined S2OO each for making false returns. Several Liberty women school teachers returning from St Louis were greatly annoyed that the tables in ths dining-car were being turned Into bare for the accomodation of holiday travelers. They told the local editor about it and Judge Dlvelbiss read of thetf complaint in the weekly paper. "The railroads will have to stop that rbootlegginb business,” remarked the Judge and no more liquor Is, sold on trains in Missouri. The closing of the "Twin Hells” ip (Richmond was just incidental. The Utwo old buildings had stood for the climax of evil resorts Jn the county town for ta generation and a typical reformer remarked to Judge Dlvelbiss, "isn’t it a shame we can’t stop that place.” This remark impressed the Judge and unwilling to admit that any gambling and liquor resort was more powerful than his court, when a formal complaint was entered in his court, he.issued an order that the two bidings be not used as cases, lunchrooms or residences. The owner repaired them and they are in use as a i garage. Incidental to the tax dodging reform, Richmond Is getting its long desired SIOO,OOO courthouse and the county tax ■ rate has been reduced. One farmer, ;alone, has listed $375,000 on mortgages he was concealing and a banker, postmaster and several merchants 'have been fined. Dlvelbiss did not become a candL idate for'-the judgeship with an Idea of changing the order of things. He Syas a lawyer and has served two tehjns as Prosecuting Attorney and two' as Probate Judge and decided without urging to try for the higher place. It was'after his nomination that he came in contact with the single taxer ■on the stump. The basis of the argument was that mortgages, notes and similar property escaped taxation tyrhile land could be hidden. <T3ut why should such property escape*taxation?” demanded the candidate for judicial honors. “The law says thaf -All property shall be returned for taxation and prescribes the manner. TO'' return a false list constitutes perjury. And it is the specific duty pf. every*.Judge who calls a grand jury to see that taxation frauds are sifted out/’ "Nice in theory,” the single taxer came back. "Nice in theory, only the Judge never has the nerve.” "Well, if I am elected," Dlvelbiss answered, “here’s one that will do it.* 1 On his first round of instructing grand juries Judge Dlvelbiss opened this question of tax dodging and he \old the jurymen where their sources ,ioV information were, of some schemes <at\.tax dodging that he had investigatea\and how to return Indictments. The grand juries went to* work with a Will, but .it big task and Indictime>qts were not reached until the second' and jn some cases the third sessions;- tljetf they came with a rush. Some df the mien whp paid S2OO fines wer supporters of Judge Dlvelbiss and they are yet