The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-09-05
REPUBLICAN RECORD ON
CORPORATION ASSESSMENTS.
Governor Stephens Exposes the FaIsehood
OF Campaign Charges Against
State Officials.

Of 81. Louis. and the said street railway
corporations would have paid taxes on s&-
360.01i.Sn
The act Of 1897. authorizing the State
Board of Equalization to assess these street
railway properties. became operative Jura
-, 1887, and, as assessment of railroad
| property is made by the State Board each
year on the value of the property on the
| hrst day Of June of the preceding year, Il
: was claimed by the street railroad conpa-
uies that. as the assessment by the State
Beard for 1895 of these properties would
nave to be made on the basis Of their
NaIce on June l. 1897. and as the law author
lzlnS the State Board to assess the same
did not become operative until June @,
1897. therefore the State Board had no au-
thority to assess the same. Evidently the
street railway officials and their attorneys
Impressed the Republican Board of Asses
sors of the city Of st. Louis for the year
1895 with the idea that this was the law,
for said Republican Board of City Assessors
IN the spring of 1895, before the State Board
met, attempted TO assess and did fix the
valuation for assessment on these street
, railway properties for the year 1893. thus
asserting their right to still assess the same
in spite of the act passed by the General
Assembly Of the State In 1897. But this ac-
ton of the Republican Board of Assessors
again shows their fayoritism to the street
railway corporations of the city of st.
Louis at the expense of the real estate and
home owners of said city.
IL will be remembered that Mr.. Fredericks,
the president Of this Board Of Assessors, is
the same gentleman who. IN 1898, testified
Before the State Board that the real estate
or st. Louis was assessed on an average Of
10 per cent OF its actual value. The record
OF the said ST. Louis City Board of As
SCISSORS, when they attempted to assess, and
did fix, the value for taxation of these
street railroads in 1895 shows that said Re-
publican city assessing officials
In that year just what the Republican
press OF St. Louis city are charging the
Democratic State Board with doing this
year, to-wit, reducing the assessment Of
street railways, after it had been fixed. The
Republican Board of City Assessors, with
Mr.. Fredericks presiding over the same as
City Assessor, reduced tine valuation Of
said street railways in St. Louis 81, 1886, 80
below what the same board of Republican
assessing officials In ST. Louis city eight
days previously had fixed said values of
said street railway properties at.
This came about in this way: There ap-
peared before said Board of Assessors rep
resentatives OF the st. Louis School Board
and prominent citizens of St. Louis. who
protested that these corporate properties Of
the street railways in ST. Louis should be
enormously increased in their assessment.
April 9. 1893. with Mr.. Fredericks presiding,
the st. Louis City Board Of Assessors fixed
the valuation of these street railway prop
critics ac s23.s5l $50. After this valuation of
S3.s51,I5o was fixed on April 8, 1895. the
same board met again On April 16, 1885, to
consider the valuation for assessment of
the same property. and reconsidered the
action Of April 9. 1888. and reduced the as
sessment from 81. s51. 80 to ss.1l5. so, and
II said last assessment had been allowed to
stand 1t would have saved the said corpora
tons more than $4,000 in school,. city and
State taxes for the year 1888. The Repub-
lican City Board Of Assessors adjourned
and left the assessment OF S6,115,5FO As the
valuation of said properties OF said street
railway companies FOR taxation for the year
1895. after having eight days previously liked
the valuation Of the same properties at
SO. ISL. $50.
But the State Board Of Equalization de-
termined that it had a right to assess said
properties In 1898 and instituted an action
or mandamus In the Supreme Court to
compel said street railway companies To
return their property for assessment TO the
State Board Of Equalization. The comma
MES resisted. and the question Of the right
OF the State Board of Equalization to assess
said properties for 1898 was submitted to the
Supreme Court. By a unanimous decision
the court held that the State Board had
the right to assess said properties for ths
year 1888.
This record shows the Republican Board
OF City Assessors In ST. Louis in 1897 as
sessed the street railway property at l5 per
cent OF the value of the property, and the
ain AlSPuDficdu lily board or A6seSgOr1
assessed this property of the home and real
estate owners Of ST. Louis at the same time
20 Der cent of its value.
The same year. 1887. the Democratic STATE
Board or Equalization assessed eleven main
trunk lines of steam railroads In M.ssouri
at an average valuation of 43.S per cent. OF
the net earning value Of said steam rail-
roads.
TIE truth is. the city government Of 81.
Louis is owned by the corporate interests
or ST. Louis. The Republican press Of tina
city seems to be also controlled by the cor
porations OF st. Louis. The street railway
bill, enacted by the last General Assembly,
could not have made possible the consoIids.
ton Of the street railroads OF st. Louis en-
cept by the consent of the Municipal As
sembiy OF st. Louis. because an ordiuanc.
had 10 be passed by said Assembly. after
the act of the General Assembly Authortx-
Ing the consolidation. before it would be val
Id in St Louis The city Of st. Louis has
been robbed OF taxes justly due 1t for years
by the failure of Its Republican officials TO
do their duty. In transferring the assess-
ment OF the street railways of St ro,,.
from the Republican authorities to the
State Board of Equalization, the receIpt.
Into the State revenue fund are augmented
over a quarter of a million of dollars an
nualiy. and Will continue to grow larger
LON V. STEPHENS g.