The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1897-06-05
RAHROAD ASSESSMENT.

The Gazette docs not believe
railroads are the enemies of the
people. They are, on the-contrary,
necessary to the advancement and
property Of communities, but they
should not be permitted to enjoy
undue privileges.
There is tendency in Louisiana
to- day to give to the railroad COM
panies everything which they take
the trouble to ask for. The Ca
zette does not know of an instance
where a railroad corporation in this
State wanted something and failed
to get it.
Several times attempts were made
to pass a railroad commission, but
without success. At every session
of the General Assembly some leg
islation is proposed, but the matter
is always smothered by committee
that is appointed for that purpose.
The Shreveport Journal is author
ity for the statement that Louisiana
gets less tax on railway property
than any State of the Union. The
various Boards of Equalizers have
held meetings in the different dis
tricts and have agreed in most
cases, to assess main lines $1,000
per mile. On the assessment of the
Louisiana Westerns road a reduc-
ton of $500 was made and like
diminution was made on the ", S.
& P.
The Journal in commenting upon
the evident determination of the
Assessing Boards to have the rail
road companies pay as little as pos
sible, says:
For instance the Texas and Pa
cifc runs over the track of the ",
S. & p. to Waskom which is on the
State line. That twenty miles of
track from Shreveport is assessed
at SO, 900 on the other side of the
line the road continues to Marshall
and the authorities assess the track
at $II,4oo per mile. The country
is poorer, the business and receipts
from that track are scarce, tenth
of the twenty miles on the Louis
lana side, but the charity works one
year and some other political plan
will work the next, simply because
the railroad lobby attends the Leg
islature and looks after the railroad
interests, while no one looks after
the interests of the people.
The w., S. & p. crosses the Mis-
sissiPpi at Vicksburg; from Monroe
to Vicksburg the road runs through
an exceedingly rich country. On
the other side of the river the road
continues to Meridian through as
poor hill country a can be found
anywhere, yet the Mississippi as
sessment is $4,000 per mile. Few
of the railroads operating in Louis
lana pay any assessment whatever
on rolling stock. Express COM
panles and Pullman pay none.
Our legislators are too busy riding
up and down the roads on free
passes, and the executive depart
ment is too busy looking after some
little ward combine, while these
great companies go untax and the
people must make up the diffe renee.
We agree with the Journal that
the system of assessing RAILROADS
should be changed. 1t is entirely
too easy for the railroad companies
to control the Assessing Boards.
The parish assessor is the proper
person to assess railway lines.
Should he fail to fix a fair valuation
it is for the Police Jury to see that he
performs his duty without fear or
favor.
The editor of Tie Gazette at
tended three meetings of Assessing
Boards held at Lafayette during the
last three years and he regrets to
say that every time it was very easy
for the railroad company to carry
its points.
The commissioners who were dis
posed to act fairly were always IN
a hopeless minority, and the South