The Oskaloosa herald., 1899-10-12
THREE BIG MEETINGS
Governor Shaw and Major Lacey
in Mahaska County.

Governor Shaw and Congressman
Lacey started the political ball roll
ing in Mahaska county Monday af
ternoon in three fine meetings. The
Governor addressed fine crowd il
the court house in the afternoon anC
at the school house in Beacon in the
evening. Major Lacey's meeting
was at Rose Hill, aud was good
one.
sHAW's AFTERNOON MEETING.
The court house was packed with
people when the chairman of the af.
ternoon, Mr.. w. w. Haskell, called
for order. After some splendid and
inspiring music by the Penn College
chorus of sixteen voices, Gov. Shaw
was introduced. 1t was not the Gov
ernor's first appearance before an
Oskaloosa audience, but the first
time he had come here to discuss
political matters, and all were anx-
ious to hear him. For over two
hours he held the closest attention
of all, and stated solid and unmistak-
able facts in a gentlemanly and
earnest way. A number of Demo-
Gratis were in the audience and heard
him with pleasure. He covered the
whole ground and answered every
argument that the opposition has put
up in simple and logical way, so
that any one could understand. Much
of his time was taken up with the
money question and he discussed
that to the satisfaction of all who
heard him. Discussing state issues
he in part said:
During the two years last past, the
executive council has annually in
creased the aggregate assessment of
railway, telegraph and telephone COM
panies. The aggregate increase in the
| assessment of this class of property.
made by the executive council in the
last two years, is over 100000. During
the same period, the assessment of all
other property has been decreased $20,.
900.
The aggregate number of farm ami.
mails in lOwa-horses, mules, cattle,
sheep and hogs has increased in two
years $l,G00,OOO, while the aggregate
assessed valuation of all these animals
has decreased $2,600,OO0. If there be
any farmers present, they will be able
TO judge whether the farm animals in
this state, increased as they have been
in number, 25 per cent. in two years,
have decreased in value more than $l2,-
100000. AS matter of fact, the S,000,.
900 farm animals in Iowa have ad.
vanced in value more than $40, 100000
but they have been assessed S2,GOO.OO(
less.
The republican party has been
charged with having had panic in 1877,
and it is quite generally known that the
democratic party had panic in 1893
but no one, except a few politicians,
claims there is any panic now. Let
US therefore compare assessments of
1877, 1898 and 1899. The cattle of Iowa
were assessed in 1877 at S10.26; in 1898,
at 5000; and in 1899, at S6.S5 per head
The horses of Iowa were assessed in
1877 at $30.4S; in 1893, at $21.67, and in
1899, at 1888 per head. Mules were
assessed in 1877 at 1854; in 1893, at
S23.S5, and in 1899, at $1O.19. Hogs were
assessed in 1877 at $3.50; in 1893, at
S2.14, and in 1899, at Sill. Sheep were
assessed in 1898 at Sl.36; and in 1899,
at 81 cents. The farmers present will
be able to tell whether horses have de-
preciated more than Sc per cent;
whether mules have deprecated in val
ue more than 81 per cent; whether hogs
have deprecated more than As per
cent; and whether sheep have depre-
ciated more than 40 per cent. since 1898.
The assessed value of these animals has
been diminished in these proportions
respectively since 1893
81 he burdens of maintaining a form
of government, both state and national.
are not so severe as they are pictured
by those whose stock arguments are
appeals TO pre- JUDGE. They are, it is
true, severe enough, and they should
be reduced to the minimum, and made
to rest as equitably as possible on all
giving preferences always to those who
are least forehanded, and upon whom
the struggles of life necessarily rest
more severely. The statutes of this
state, | am glad to record, have been
drafted with these wise purposes in
mind. The farmer has exempted to
him from taxation all his grain. his |
colts, his calves. his pigs, his lambs, his |
poultry, his wool, and ten colonies of |
bees. None of the earnings or profits |
Of the banker or the merchant or the |
awyer are exempt. The farmers ma
chinery, the professional mans library.
the workiEgman's tools, are exempt
from taxation, but there are no CORE
spending exemption to the merchant |
the manufacturer, the banker, or the |
business man generally. These distinc-
tons. however, are wise. and were ac- |
corded by broad minded legislators.