Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-20
TIE THIRD PROTEST
Treasurer Herriott Issues Another
Statement on the Railroad AZ.
ssssment Question.
Shaw and Dobson Again Charged
With Gross Favoritism to the
Northwestern.
Alleged Incongruities Of Executive
Pointed Out Tables, Trades
and Criticism.
to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 2O.-In concluding
his third protest on the railroad assess
ment State Treasurer Herriott says:
My colleagues in their answer have
attempted 10 pIacate public opinion for
their violation of law and equity In the
late unfortunate railroad assessmentl
by the sinsnuation that l have been
contending for n reduction on the rail-
road on which j reside, namely. the
Rock Island; that represent 1t and
that my efforts heretofore have been
simply for Its particular benefit They
Judge me by their own code OF morals
They do no. state that for years 1 have
asked for reductions on numerous
roads and branches all over the state;
that / have frequently urged reductionsl
on the Illinois Central, OH the o. and
the Great Western, on the Iowa Cen
trail and on the Milwaukee. Why Be
cause their earnings and conditions as
shown by the sMnrr returns filed by
their officers ana accepted by the coun-
Gil required reductions. Last year I
moved alterations or changes i'll the as
sessments of iwentS-four different
lines. Every one my motions was
IN accord with common justice and
With the spirit Of the law. Every one
of them was voted down without one
word of argument against their aoop-
tion. overcome by the dead weight of
Votes Allaof my motions We're made
witf3a viewto equalization of tax bur-
dens.
1T is proper for me to observe that
The council has agreed with me In my
contention for increases on the North
Western and decreases on the Rock
Island. fer they have. as they state In
their answer. made such changes to a
small extent.
flerriatt goes over much of the same
ground covered in his previous protests.
and celebrates his arguments for what
he terms a more equitable assessment
OF the Iowa railroads. He also dwells
a t some length on the sick room Incl
dent and denies that he refused to re-
main in the council meeting held at the
governor S office on March %, citing the
official minutes and Shaw's statement
To prove his assertion and the faiseness
lof the chief executives.
/ Continuing Herriott says:
The governor repeats his 'taxes-to-
lbe-deducted argument which he first
| put forward as a reason for rejecting
IIny plan. The worth8of that idea is 50
| apparent that need not discuss it.
I When the code of Iowa permits our
farmers to deduct the mortgages On
their stock and farms in reporting their
4 property for taxation We may hen con-
Z. to deduct their taxes.
Ever since came on the council, es-
4|pecially since 1896. Il have contended for
greater equality in railroad assess
tnents. Iiiaye sought for practicalre-
4 suits and 10 obtain them have offered
Il to assess railroads on various bases, on
4 gross earnings or net, or on both, on
4 sstocks and bonds. or on a combination
OF all-on any basis or general plan
whereby equity and uniformity could
be secured -bul With meager results
4. The governors attitude prior to the
late assessment encouraged me to Of
i fer the plan did on March IL BY j,
4 the valuationlsof railroads would have
been increased s4,509.000 exclusive Of
& new mileage. This was surely not q
lradical Increase Having determined
a on sis,500,0c0 as the total valuation,
a proposed Il combination basis of gros.
land net earnings for determining tn,
Snluation of each road. j knew objec
tinns would be made 10 each taken sep
'saratclS. Thus gross earnings alone ig
/ more the varying expense accounts o
1.-THE roads--neu earnings alone woul,
have caused too great changes in tn
I; assessments. Taking both avoldA,
most of the objections and gained mos
of the benefits. the expenses ,hereb,
: being considered. The basis which
tock was simply a method or rule fo
determining the valuation OF each road
1t did not mean Hat rate on gross o
net earnings as is the case in som
states and as some have seemed I
think.
II have not ccntended for particu
lar theory of railroad taxation; nor d
= now. Last year in arguing with m
colleagues for greater equality in as
sessments the governor suggested TIL
market value of stocks and bonds as
basis To this I readily assented, bu
lit was not taken a few nights befol
the late unfortunate assessment. Will
walking with Governor Shaw from tn
capitol over to the Slavery hotel h
again proposed lbs value of stocks an
y bonds asa basis Againi assented, bL
when informed him that on this has
the assessable value of railroads woul
be nearly s1O0.0DU,0D0 the governor di
not long insist on taking stocks an
y bonds He then began 20 talk abol
:, net earnings as / have stated.
y AS to the increased valuation whic
y 1 urged, viz: s4s, 500, 900 Exclusive of ne
lmileage) i have only this to say If IL
railroads of Iowa are worth a cent the
q are worth much more than four time
the amount I proposed as a taxab
basis. The secretary of the Iowa raj
road commission, Hon. D. w. Lewis. hi
certified to me the par value OF the cal
ital represented in Iowa railroads la
year. From his statement learn TIL;
the total amount Of stock and bono
was s432. 406.1l6. Assessing railroads {
70 this basis the valuation would have bee
$106. 115.029. If. as is claimed by man
and as the last legislature declare
A. stocks and bonds Is a proper basis 4
err taxation, the railroads are not assess
& high enough. Striving for results,
urged small increase. But In the IA
of such facts the council reduced the a
easement on the old lines 320S 900.
Y. not believe their action Is defensible.
g.: My colleagues allege that my resol
TO-. tion would have produced 'incongru
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