Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1904 — JOIN THE DANCE CLUB. [ARTICLE]

JOIN THE DANCE CLUB.

The Rensselaer Military Band is organizing a Dance Club which will be known as “The Military Band Dance Club.” Dances will be given every alternate Thursday eve for 26 weeks, beginiug Thursday eve, Nov. 10. For particulars see Mr. Ray Wood, who will have Beason tickets for sale, or Dr. Beu Fendig at the Drug Store. Music by Schultz & Gardner, piano and drums, of Monticello.

The Democrat has been asked to explain who fixes the various tax levies, and who is to blame for the exorbitant taxes the people of Jasper county are now paying. We will reply to this question as briefly as possible and make the matter plain to all. The State tax levy has for several years been 29| cents on each SIOO assessed valuation. This levy is made by the State legislature (See Sec. 8408, Burns R. S., 1901). The legislature is and has been republican for a number of years. The state levy has recently been raised to 30| cents, and is Still at that figure. The State Board of tax commissioners, which is and has been for several years republican, fixes the valuation of railroads, express and telephone lines, etc. This board has the same powers in regard to raising or lowering and equalizing valuations of corporations and different counties of the state that the board of review has over individual and township valuations. Notwithstanding the increase in corporate wealth such as railroads, etc., of the state during the past nine years, this board has decreased the assessments of telegraph, express companies and railroads in Indiana $17,100,000 during said period, and has increased the assessments on lands and improvements of the state $27,952,101. The latter, understand, is over and above the increase made by the local assessors and the various county boards of review, and the increase in Jasper county is nearly $1,000,000, being precisely $839,069. This board is at present composed of Gov. Durbin, Chairman; Daniel E. Storms, Sec. of State; David E. Sherrick, Auditor of State; and John C. Wingate and Parks M. Martin all republicans but one.

This increased assessment, of course, applies to all taxes, state and local. While the valuation of the entire state has been increased many millions of dollars there has been no decrease in the state or county levy. In fact the former levy has been raised to 30| and the latter is now (1904) 39| cents, against 50£ for last year, and 34£ for 1900, when the valuation of the county was nearly $3,000,000 lees than now. The county levy is fixed by the county council, and is made in September of each year. This council is now composed of all republicans, but in 1899 and 1900, when we enjoyed the lowest levy for many years, it was made up of three democrats and fonr republicans. Estimates are made by the various county officers of the amounts necessary to carry on the business for the next year, and levy is made on the valuation sufficient to raise this sum. As there has been no extraordinary expenses in this county during the past few years and the valuation of taxable property has increased nearly one-third, there should have been a corresponding decrease in the tax levy. Our county council as at present composed, however, investigates too little for itself, but allows practically everything that is asked for in the requisitions of the various county officers, and it was for this reason that The Democrat has urged the necessity of having both political parties represented on this board, the wisdom of which was shown in the work of the first council, which was appointed and was required by law to be from both parties. The city and town corporation taxes are levied by the city council and town trustees, while the township levy is made by the Township Advisory board, who act in the same capacity for the township that the county council does for the county. Taxes are high in Jasper couu. ty because the people themselves so will it. They have the power to right such wrongs at the polls, and if they fail to do so they alone are to blame.