The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-03-21

F9OM DIES MONIES.
correspondsncs Of The Tlpeon Adxertiser.
Dies MONIES, March 10th. ~.
Dear Adveyttow:-At ths time OF
ny writing lasG connunicafion the
House was conaaiering the I'LL fus ths
axation Of railpDads. Tbe contest
proved to be one of the mast earnest
Turing the MISUNDERSTANDING ~
,sual In former sessions an unexpect-
ID strength among railroad men. The
dill reported by the committee was :
substitute for the bill introduced some
lime since by Mr.. Duncomb, who by
The way Is thoroughly railroad man.
The substitute II substantially the
Duncomb bill. IL provides for the 49,
sessment OF railroad property by the
Census Board, viz the Governor, Sec
rotary OF State, State Treasurer and
State Auditor. To enable said Board
to arrive 1t just valuation Of the prop
erty of the roads In the State; the
officers of each are to furnish : sworn
statement of the number of miles OF
road owned or leased bysuch company.
Also tue returns must show the
amount Of rolling stock Of all descrip-
tions, and the gross earnings Of the
road, y it'll other facts q the Census
Board may require. The raid property
throughout the State is valued, and
such assessment shall he made on the
entire road within the State, and shalt
include all property, both personal and
real used exclusively In the operation
Of such roads. After such assessment
the Census Board shall transmit To the
sever i counties through which any Of
such roads ran, the amount of assess.
ment per mile, with the length Of road
IN said county. 1t Is made the duty
Of Boards of Supervisors upon recsipl
or such statements 20 MAKE Nm oSues
declaring the length Of such road In
each city. town, township or lesser
taxing district, aud the taxable value
per mile, as dxed by the pro rata dis.
tribution, rs assessed by the Census
Board, and the amount due the city OF
town shall be paid over when collected,
aud all laws III force for the collection
of delinquent taxes shall apply to all
taxes levied under thi. oct. All rail.
roads which shall have paid taxes on
gross earnings as provided by the law
now in force shall be released from the
pay ment OF all other taxes that may
nave been levied for prior years for
any purpose whatever. In case the
proper officers Of any railroad company
shall fail to make the statement here
in named, the Census Board shall
proceed to make the assessment aud
shall add thirty per cent. to THE value
thereof.
As this bill has passed the House
aud probably will pass the Senate, l
have given pretty full synopsis OF i.s
provisions. as no other question before
the Legi. Iature Interests the people 50
generally as that Of the railroads. The
people have demanded the taxation
and regulation o, railroads 80 long that
the men who represent these corpora
tions are forced to compromise. But
| am afraid it will prove TO be cod
comfort for the snlicte,i. Some Of our
strongest advocates for the taxation of
railroads voted against the bill. In
fact no railroad man voted In the neg
stive. The man who engineered the
whole matter IL . railroad man, ano
acted a. fugleman for the whole rail
road lobby.
1t Is the opinion Of those conversant
In these matters, that the revenue from
this source will not be equal to that
derived under the present system Of
taxing gross receipts. Some Of the
provision. nj the bill are 40 NANTES
unjust that the wonder 10 how . sum.
oissse numbsr of DSn could 10 gotten
together In the State Of Iowa to offer
such M act to the keople Is fair aud.
equitable adjustment Of the matter.
It will be seen that the benefits deriv.
I'd will be enjoyed by the Immediate
township or taxing district through
which the road happens to run, while
localities adjacent derive no advantage
though they may furnish much the
larger amount OF busines, OF tbs road.
and thereby pay the larger amount OF
The tax through the Increased tariffs,
which will certainly follow unless some
regulation ID adopted. Another injus-
lice 10 the RENTING Of delinquent tax.
20, which the Supreme Court has
decided were legally levied.
While In the RENTING business, why
not remit about twenty thousand dol.
,ars Of Cedar County tax for the pile OF
dirt just east Of Upton but that 10
pur "ox" that got gored." which Of
course changes the matter. Next
Tuesday 10 set for the consideration of
tile railroad tariff bill which ! suppose
will again fill the lobbies with railroad
men. have but little hope Of much
that IL good being accomplished.
or other business but little has been
during the week. The
Senate has passed bills appropriating
two hundred thousand dollars for the
Insane Asylum At Independence.
Also to exempt sewing machines from
aud = bill for the permanent
location of the state Reform School
sppropriating fifty thousand dollars
therefor; three hundred aud twenty
acres of land to be donated to the State
where located. The Senate also passed
= bill for the new Peniteutisry ut
Anamosa. The most important meas
IRE passed In the House Is bill pro-
viding that any sub district may
become independent by vote Of the
township. The fate Of the meas ure
III the Senate Is doubtful.
To-day barely quorum Is present.
: great many having gone bowe 4.