Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-10-12

$21.67, and in 1899 at 1888 per mead.
Mules were assessed in 1877 at 1854;
In 1893 at $23,Sa, and in 1899 at $1O.19.
Hogs were assessed in 1877 at 50 SO; in
1893 at $2.14, and in 1899 at Sill.
Sheep were assessed in 1893 at $1.3G,
and in 1899 at $0.S4. The farmers
present will be able to tell whether
horses have deprecated more than SO
per cent; whether mules have depre,
ciated more than 4S per cent and
whether sheep have deprecated more
than 40 per cent, since 1893. The as
sessed value OF these animals has been
diminished In these proportions re-
spectively since 1893. Perhaps it was
superfiuOus for me to say that the
committee on resolutions of the OPP
position parties did not come to the
capitol to examine the facts before
they prepared their deliyeranees.
Facts Concerning All Assessments.
But believing that the people of the
state, to whom alone political party
Is anSwerable, and on whom all par
ties must rely, are anxious to know
the facts concerning all assessments,
so far as they are discoverable, l SUBJ
NIT the following, not claiming that
they are right, not claiming that they
are wrong, but claiming only that they
exist as l report them. For the last
decade the railways of Iowa have been
assessed ut valuation assuming
true value to have been four times the
assessment on which they have
earned, above operating expenses, as
shown by their sworn reports, 81 per
cent. The net earnings of the railways
Of Iowa for 1898 would pay Sk per
cent. on the valuation at which the
executive council assessed them for
the year 1899.
Assessmsnts Are Real Values.
Thinking that the public might be
interested to know what proportion
assessments generally bear to actual
values, l have made some independ-
ent Inquiries. Learning of an entire
flock Of sheep being sold soon after the
LIST of January at So head, l wrote
and ascertained that they had been
valued by the assessor at 1915, and
assessed ut less than a dollar l in
vestigated the sale of five distinct
tracts of land taken py9miseuously
and without advising the parties re-
porting the sales of my purpose in
making the inquiries. These five
tracts sold in the aggregate for $4S,-
600, and l ascertained that they were
valued by the assessor at $3l, 900, IS
per cent. below actual value. They
were, Of course, assessed at one-fourth
of that. l investigated four auction
sales, where the aggregate sale Of per-
sonal property was $4,000 and learned
that this same property was valued by
the assessor at $4,000, one-seventh
the actual value and assessed, of
course, ut one-quarter of that. In.
vestigated the sale Of seven punches Of
fat cattle, which were sold soon after
the LIST of January, at an aggregate Of
$l3,SO0, and l found that these same
cattle were valued by the assessor at
$4,000, 55 per cent. below actual value.
Had 1t been possible to investigate 9TH
err classes Of property, manufacturing
establishments, stocks Of merchandise,
etc., very likely similar results would
have been obtained,
Tbese Ago simple Facts,
am not complaining; / am simply
giving the public the result Of these
inquiries, believing that to know the
facts win remove many erroneous i'm
pressions created for the sole purpose |
of influencing voters and without