Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-03
SHAW ON IOWA ISSUES
Continued From Third Page.)

JeaIs l'ouu,uuV, While the aggregate as
sessed valuation Of all these animals
mas decreased $2,6O0O0O. 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
numper-25 per cent in two years-have
decreased in value more than s12, 900, 600
AS a matter of fact the 100000 farm
animals in Iowa have advanced in
value more than s4O,OO0,OoO, but they
have been assessed $2,6o00OO less.
CHANGE IN REVENUE LAWS.
In all this discussion I make no al
lowance for the change in our revenue
laws made by the twenty sixth general
assembly, which authorizes the assess
ment of property at one-fourth of its
actual value instead OF actual value;
because 1t Is conceded that property
never has been assessed at it's full
value. and the change in the law was
made in the belief that it would effect
an increase in the assessment OF the
Estate
ASSESSMENTS COMPARED y 1877
1893 1899.
The republican party has been
charged with having had panic in
1871, and 1T is quite generally known
that the democratic party had a panic
In 1898, but no one, except a few poll
ticians, claims there is any panic now.
Let us therefore compare assessments
| in 1877, 1893 and 1899 The cattle of
| Iowa We're assessed in 1877 at $10.26; in
1899, at $3.50; and in 1899, at $685. per
head. The horses of Iowa We're assessed
In 1877 at $30.4S; in 1893, at $21.67, and in
1899, at 1898 per head. Mules were as
sessed in 1877 at s3S.94; in 1893, at s23.85;
and in 1899, at s10.19. Hogs were as
sessed in 1877 at 1888; in 1893. at $2.14.
and in 1899 at Sill. Sheep We're assessed
| in 1893 at $1.36, and in 1899 at 1854. The
| farmers present will be able to tell
| whether horses have deprecated in
value more than Sc per cent and
whether mules have deprecated in
value more than 81 per cent whether
hogs have deprecated more than As per
cent, and whether sheep have depreci-
ated more than 40 per cent since 1898.
| The assessed value of these animals has
been diminished in these proportions
4 respectively since 1893. Perhaps it was
superfluous for me to say that the com
| mittee on resolutions of the opposition
| parties did not come to the capitol to
4 examine the facts before they prepared
4 their deliverances.
/ FACTS CONCERNING ALL ASSESS
MENTS.
/ But believing that the people of the
| state, to whom alone political party is
/ answerable, and on whom all parties
! must rely, are anxious to know the
facts concerning all assessments, so far
as they are discoverable, l submit the
i following, not claiming that they are
right, not claiming that they are
\, wrong, but claiming only that they ex-
4 list as I report them. For the last de-
cadc the railways of Iowa have been
assessed at valuation assuming true
value to have been four times the as
sessmenD on which they have earned
above operating expenses, as shown by
their sworn reports, So per cent. The
net earnings of the railways of lowe
for 1896 would pay Sls per cent on the
valuation at which the executive coun-
Gil assessed them for the year 1885,
ASSESSMENTS AND REAL. VAL
UES.
Thinking that the public might be
interested to know what proportion as
sessments generally bear to actua
values. / have made some independent
inquiries. Learning of an entire flock
of sheep being sold soon after the frs
of January at IS a head, l wrote ant
ascertained that they had been valued
by the assessor at S3.75, and assessed al
less than dollar. | have investigated
the sale of five distinct tracts of lane
taken promiscuously and without ad
visins the parties reporting the sale:
!. of my purpose in making the inquiries
These tracts sold in the aggregate o
$4,000, and | ascertained that they wer,
valued by the assessor at $31, 600, 50 pc
cent below actual value They We're, o
course. assessed at one-fourth of that
investigated four auction sales, wher
the aggregate sale of personal propert.
was $4,000, and learned that this sam
property was valued by the assessor a
$4,000, one-seyenth the actual Value
and assessed. of course, at one-quarte
of that. / investigated the sale of seve
punches of fat cattle, which We're sol
, soon after the first of January at a
aggregate of Sl3,S00, and / found tina
these same cattle were valued by tn
assessor at $4,000, SIS per cent below ac
tual value. Had it been possible to in
vestigate other classes of property
manufacturing establishments, stock
of merchandise. etc, Very likely simila
results would have been obtained
! These are simple facts. / am not com
planning. i am simply giving the pub
I lie the result of these inquiries, beliey
ing that to know the facts will rcmov
4 many erroneous impressions create
for the sole purpose of influencing yot
ers and without foundation in fact.
WHO ARE FAVORED BY E,XEMP-
TON
The burdens of maintaining forI
of government, both state and nationa
are not so severe as they are picture
. by those whose stock arguments ar
appeals to prejudice. They are. 1t
true. severe enough, and they should /
reduced to the minimum. and made I
rest as equitably as possible on all. 81,
ing preference always to those who al
least forehanded, and upon whom til
struggles of life necessarily rest mos
severely. The statutes of this state.
am glad to record. have been drafte
II With these wise purposes in mind. III
farmer has exempted to him from TIA,
alton all his grain, his colts, his calve
his pigs, his lambs. his poultry, h
, wool. and ten colonies of bees. None
/, the earnings or profits of the banker I
the merchant or the lawyer are exemr
The farmers machinery. the profe
Il