The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-07
KICK On TAX RATES
If the Railroads are Put So
RidicuIousIy Low.
WHY NOT SEND IT ROUND
lSthe CryNOw Raised--A
orS Urged to EquaIize.

Guthrie, o. T., April eff the policy
Indicated in the letter herewith published
IS carried out the assessments Of property
in Oklahoma for the year 1900 will be
ruinously low The outbreak is due 70
the alleged low valuation Of the rait-
roads, the Santa Fe, for instance, being
assessed at $500 per mile, while It is,
claimed that in Kansas the valuation is
$4,000 a mile. The other lines of railway
in the territory are assessed in proper
ton. It Is now proposed that heal estate
and Other property belonging to private
citizens Ss assessed "a tSe same basis
as that belongisg to the Norporatlons'
and the plan to be adopted - suggested
IN letter received by Comfy Assessor
Boys from VIM. NJ H 'nr,, chairman of
the County ASSESSES association, The
letter is as fol- VS.:
Oklahoma ,Cfty, o. II, March %, 1900.
lea< SirI and Friend: I desire to call
your a4e-1ion to the assessment of rail-
rosds "a Oklahoma Territory as COM
pared with the people. Also the assess
ment Of the same roads in Kansas as
compared with the people there.
Santa Fe system assessed in Oklahoma
at $500 per mile, but cost SIS 900 per
mile. Same line in Kansas assessed at
$4,000 per mile
Rock Island system assessed In Oklaho-
ma at 5000 per mile, but cost $500 per
mile. Same road in Kansas assessed at
5000 per mile.
Locomotives in Oklahoma assessed at
$1,000 each, cost $1,000 to $4,000 each
Refrigerators cars is Oklahoma assess
ed at 500 each, but cost $500 to $1,000.
Horse and cattle cars in Oklahoma as
sessed at $175 each, but cost 500 to $500.
A 5000 farm in Oklahoma is assessed
at 500 to S900-one-third value.
A 5000 farm in Kansas is assessed at
$500 to $3.50 each-one-fifth value.
A mans home in the city that cost
$1,000 is assessed at 800 to $500 each-over
one-third value.
A home that cost 5000 assessed at 800
TO $250-one-third value.
A railroad is one of the most profitable
Investments in the territory. 1t gets more
profit out of each bushel Of wheat and
corn than the farmer does VINO spends the
season raising it and getting it to mar
ket This is not issued on account of any
bad feeling toward corporations. all of
which should be treated with absolute
fairness. Their business is more profit
able. and they demand greater protection
under the law. and for thhis reason their
valuation should be higher than the peo-
pies, Just as you see they are in Kan
sas. I have information also showing
same is true in Missouri. where railroads
are assessed at from 5000 TO $4,000 per
mile while farms are assessed on one
third basis, but the roads, You will OBJ
serve. are assessed at over one-third
basis. This letter has been sent to each
county assessor and to each member of
your county board of equalization asking
that same thing be done in your county
If your books are made out the county
board Of equalization can change to con-
form; if not you can change to conform.
The territorial board of equalization cam
not change the aggregate as returned
10y the assessors. (See section l, uages
2l9-220. Session Laws Of 1890 Assessing
Is equaizing values among all kinds OF
property holders. VIII you join in equal
izing, or viii you have your people to
bear more than their share Of taxation?
As you know. the territorial auditor
agreed in our January meeting to raise
the railroads to correspond with our
schedule rates as agreed on in that meet