Omaha daily bee., 1892-12-05

Fremont Flat: The legislator who will
interest himself in the subject of good Coun-
try roads this winter will be in touch with
the people. There is no question that is
nearer the hearts of the people and none
that more strictly concerns their financial
and social welfare
Pattsmouth Journal: With the balance
of power in their hands the democrats in the
Nebraska legiSla turc will have a most excel
lent chance to secure Il reduction of state cX-
penses The United States scnatorship
should not be allowed to ovcrshadow the in
forests of the taxpayer Nebraska has about
the most expensive state government cXtant.
The chance to do good is great one.
Sioux County journal: The road laws of
Nebraska are likely to receive a good deal OF
attention at the hands of the coming legisa-
turc. The subject is one III which politics or
partisanship does not enter. To provide that
all road tax be paid in money and compe-
tent road supervisor be provided to eXpend
the same in the building of roads which will
be permanent would save the farmers Il great
deal each year i'll the wear, brcakuge OF har-
ness and vehicles and also in horsetiesh.
Nebraska City News: Some of the papers
of the state are making their biennial sug-
gestions TO the members of the legislature i'll
regard to the abOminable system of assess
| ing in vogue in this state The people and
the papers have pleaded loud and long for
change, but no attention has been paid to
their complaints. To say that we have the
worst system of assessing of any state in the
| union but family expresses it. Some coun-
| ties assess at one-sixth. others at onc-fourth,
onc-third and some at its cash value. The
! next legislature should pass law making
| the assessments uniform all over the state.
Wayne Democrats Both of the constitu-
| tional amendments were defeated, more from
! a lack of interest than from any opposition
| on the part of the voters. Both were good
| measures and ought to have been adopted,
! but under the peculiar constitution of the
state "A proposed amendment stands very
| slim show of being ratified by the people;
ana i'll order to secure needed reforms in the
constitution of the state it will be absolutely
necessary to hold another constitutional con-
vention, and this is one of the needed re-
| forms that ought to receive attention at the
| hands of the solons who gather in Lincoln
| ncXtwintcr
West Point Republican: For years the
people of Nebraska have been demanding an
elective railway commission and the very
| first opportunity they got they went to the
| polls and defeated a proposed amendment to
| the constitution looking to that end The
| next legislature should not adjourn without
making provision for a constitutional conven-
tion for the state of Nebraska. Under the
present ballot law it is almost impossible to
| carry a constitutional amendment, no matter
how badly the people want it. Under our
| present system of voting and manner of
printing ballots. it defeats any amendment
for the simple reason that "a majority of the
voters will not take the trouble to properly
| mark their ballots.
Howells Journal: One thing that should
receive attention at the hands of the legis-
lature this winter is the passage of law
| regulating the ass eSSment of real and per-
sona property. AS it is at present there is
no uniform method of assessing property in
the various counties. In some localities
property is assessed at one-third its value,
in others at one-fourth, and there are in
stances where property is not assed at more
than one-siXth of its value. There is some
thing radically wrong in this mode of doing
business as some counties pay much more
than their Just share of taxation for state
purposes, while others pay much less. This
should, in some way, be equaliZed. In our
opinion the only proper way to remedy this
matter is to pass Il law that shall provide for
the assessment of all property at its actual
cash value. This would place every taxpayer
on an even footing. Under this mode of doing
business the leyies would not have to be so
high, and every dollars worth of property
would bear its proportion of taXntiOn OF
course such change in the law would be
looked upon with favor by railroad com
panies and other large corporations, but that
fact should not deter our members III the
legislature from doing their duty by the
people. We believe that there are enough
fair-minded, juStice-lOVing members elected
! to the next lcgSa ture to secure the passage
of such measure we hereof speak. Not
alone would such a measure provide equal
taxation for all property, but ii would place
our own state in better light before the
citizens of other states. As il is at present,
our state is quoted ut not more more than
One-fourth of its actual value, while Our
bonded and mortgaged Indebtedness appears
in round numbers without any reduction
Let such a law be passed and the people VIII
rise rs one man and bless their representa-
tives for introducing and lighting through
Suph n beneficial