, 1873-02-11
Value of Railroad Property in
Iown--The Tax It Phys.
Relief from Railroads Again Defeated
III lilo Legislature.
The straightforward Farmers
League--The Plow to the
Fore,
Cnpftnl Pllnfshmcnt--.Tho Rankin
Casc--T]ie Lnto MIR. Harlan.

Special Correspondence ef Tho cdieaao Tribune.
| DEa MONIES, Iowa, Teb 6, 1873.
| RAILROAD PROPERTY AND TAXES.
LaEt wintor, tho Legislature Of this State pro-
7idod for tho taxation Of railway property, tho
| assossnont to bo made by tho State Census
Board, which is composed Of tho Hovornor sco-
| Rotary, Auditor. and Treasurer Of State. Tho
Doard made the assessment on IN average Of
! 9b,8o0 por mile,-some roads being assoHsed
| twice TINT much, and bome not half aB much,-
| Tho total aggrogating s1B,859.661. On this as-
scRsmont tho difforont Boards Of Supervisors
| lowed tho eaxos. OF tho money derived from
| this taxation, tho different counties through
which tho railroads paHs recoivo their equitable
| Bharo with tho State. Under tho old law, thoro
was COLLECTED from all railrones In tho State, for
the two yoara 1eG9'7o, but s2o1, ,377,15 in 1871,
but 4171, 152.9B. Uudor tho now law, the total
h1nount OF tax for 1879 nlono is e515, ,050.50.
This mny bo accoptoa as ono practical triumph
Of tho people over railroads, and profitable
ono as we'll
nAILRoAp I.EaJBLAT1oN.
Thus far in tho adjourned session, the LeglH-
lat,1rc las failed to taho squaroly hold Of tho
| railroad question. 1t hns boon up in both
branches, ind ia now on tho carpet In both Of
thom again. Two weeks ago, tho Senate thought
1t had diupoBcd Of 1t for this session, by rospoot-
fully referring tho mattor to CongreBg, asking
TINT body to take caro- Of it ut onco and thus ro-
| lioro tho pooplo without delay. But 1t was not
| thus to bo moved aside. Tho State Grange OF
| the Patrons OF UuBbnndry met hero Int wook,
rosurrcctod tie queHton, and gavo it now life.
It's effect upon tho Legislature was not 80 much
the result of it's memorials aud Its demands as
officially and formally presented. 1t was tho
roi7onAl eon'aet :" Tug aa1"oss VIII
there wore between 1.2oo mud 1,4oo farmers
| hero. ropresontinr noarlv ovorv countv and
.,.na,,, - ~ ats,a '5 n;'a. 49, .us ~, ana
9 H. o'So* -1eoo ,0on -. sno p.v"
e"afmeo INTO tho capitol, and talked to tho
n'on,bers Of their own political timos to come;
aud 3a th' eF9nsht I many Of them to see that they
osfcd, perhona. t,ia ons,orc,,t ~ tl,o ,,r;cn1.
os.su. t's o.,pe sn'a o''"4AoEAs =. 'uo "8i'."l,
turlsta would have accomplished fss perfect
work but for two things: 1t Was ovordono.-
oumont . mud too monv or lin flr,nuora NH.
"';u @ 'oo na"y ~ 'no utaiso,s pnp.
nciy po1s'eo that !ney mero coming TO tho next
two-thirds Or throo-fourt1s Of it's votes. This
greatly neutraIiEed II 1t did not altorcther de-
strey; tho otfcct which tho descent Of fho Gran
gers1pon the Losslatnre in ,naao would other
tho effect, to this oxtent. NAV have bocn It'll
It ia 1rnnucationnbly tr1,1o tbnt tle farm.
ora did accomplish some GOOD in this
by eiying It q Good elakinu IN. Yoetcrdny tho
people rod nneroi Tie iocoInotiya nnains tia frht
commencing tiiis timo in tho sonato. And to-
day, after abort and sharp fight, tho railroads
section, offered in amendment to tho chapter
concerning railroads, being tie voto,-23 to 20.
Tho section US drawn was unfortunate and awL-
ward. It would hRyo applied woll enough to
! ,.,fIou of 1,,k 3fo nf,,r,3
River, but inoquitnbly to tho whole Of Central and
Western Iowa. Being partial in it's applica-
tlon, Of course 1t failod, as, in this form, It
Hhonla have done. 49,.
mon who aaaume to DO tho leaders against the
railroads are, the most OF them, both indiscrect
md esHly ~ out.genoI'aliea: Especially is this
spat for NINA mhn u he
l;now how. There nro good len md able ones
the Senate sh peoples Isl a Of tho n fo e
cause would win. But as 4 is, tho men who
rush mp to the leadership, and, by grace Of noise,
retain It, aro dead-woights, Of which tho opposi-
tion take good and fatel advantage. Senator
the acknowledged leaders on tho anti~ralroad side
OF tho HonBc, it is proper Ills namo should not
be conto.lndea with those Of tho persons before
spoken ot. The strong men with MeNutt aro
II ia yet possible thai, the present scsnion may
take hold Of the railroada and regulate both
their freightand passenger schedules, provided! q
bill, wise In its provisions and just in it's appli-
cation to all parts Of tile State, shall be intro
, ducod. The boBt sign that this ia possible s,
that the railroad men, after q thorough canvass,
are decidedly uneasy, and as aeoidodly active. :.
voting 10 roler tho raIro question to Con-
gross reyoals tho unexpected fact that tho farn-
/, or members of the Senate were moBtly in favor
, of go referring; which does not provo the pop,,-
1n~ lint nfGcu }to r.