Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-26
Fublic GEinion en- Iowa Subjects
as Reflected in the Iowa
Newspapers.
The News OF Iowa From Hun
6rcds Of Different Towns
and Communities.
ONLY FAIR Play DEMANDED.


tWehsser City Freeman ribuue.l
The Webster City Freeman-Trlbune
says: "a number Of republican county
conventions have declared for reform in
the matter OF railroad assessments. If
this be treason make the most of it," 1t
is not treason, brother. for the county
their legisiativ 6 nominee $ to vote for the
enact ert or amendment Of laws, and
even treason is not so dangerous to
state government rs denagosisfn.-
state Register.
Here is the insinuaticn that the re-
publicans who demand just and equit-
able taxation of all interests are merely
demagogues and that they are worse
than traitors. But the people are
aroused over assessments and are not
to be quieted by the lofty attitude of
such papers as the Register which at
tempt to brush aside Just criticism by
the declaration that those INDUCING in
them are only denlagpgues and places
hunters
That there are slaring inequalities in
the present methods OF assessing certain
property il known 10 all men who have
given the matter that thought and at
ten.ion its Importance demands. and
that remedial legislation must be
granted is nov tacitiy admitted even in
railroad circles. The Freeman-Tribune
disclaims any ill-w!ll to the railroads,
or ether legitimate interests of the
state. and the fact that it has no Ill
Will TO other interests prompts 1t 10 de-
mand fair play to all, which is not at
present granted
Take for instance the assessment Of
Its property in Iowa is assessed at SIS
C43,i1o which indicates an actual value
Of $32 1850 in the state. According to
which gives Bradstreet credit for the
figures. the bonds of the Chicago e.
Northwestern railroad in 1900 We're
worth sl4i,S33.O00; sci 90, 400 worth OF
stocks at par value werein the hands of
the Stockholders. But this stock was
worth on the market from $3.50 (the
lowesO to 2.l1G Cine highesD. For the
purpose of simplifying the matter we
Will place the value at 200 cents on the
dollar, which is fair average This in
round numbers is sl23. 900. 900 Add this
to the value of the bonds--s144. So. 900
and you have total value OF s267 s33. 900
for the Northwestern system.
This is not valuation placed upon
property by .'demagoeues,' but the val
uation placed upon 1t by men who are
willing to invest the.-' money in lis se-
curities upon that bass. The system
embraces $500 miles. and the total wall
uation is an average of over s4S,000 per
mile Certainly it Will not be claimed
that the Northwestern system in Iowa
is worth less than the average. There
are las miles in this state, which. at
$40 600 a mile. is worth over SsS,eo0,e00
Yet the value put upon this railroad
property by the executive council Of
Iowa is only So. 1860 and the company
pays taxes upon that basis.
| This is a matter which touches the
| pocketbook Of every taxpayer in the
state and comes home with unusual
force. The farmers have To pay on full
I valuation. The merchant who has five
/ thousand dollars worth of goods must
pay on five thousand dollars worth
I The owner of town property is com
PEELED to pay on actual value and some
times more than actual value. The
Freeman-Tribune ownsaa lot and build
"
at 5000. every cent it is worth. Ont
the same size in the same block sold fol
that amour oniyA couple of weeks ago
Yet the Chicago q Northwestern railroac
company owns properly in Iowa TO this
value of about s6s,0oo.ooo and the eNecu-
tive council says II is worth (for tn,
purposes of taXation) only ss2ooo,oos
1t is such favoriteism and giaring in
cons!stencies as this that have aroused
the people Of Iowa, and the Register
and ether Champions of the favored In.
terests can not stay the storm by howl
! Ing "a magogism.s John Herriot. frs
pointed out this unjust discrimination
ard the agitation started By him ha.
reached every corner Of the state ane
VIII grow until justice is accorded al
interests.