Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-01-04
1RE RAILROAD Taxes
Secretary Davidson Begins Task
Of Securing Information For
Assessment Purposes.
All Roads Will Be Asked to
Give Exact and Com.
plete Data.
State Officers Have All Resigned
-.-New Bankruptcy Decision
--=Capital Comment.
lpecial 10 Times Republican,

N0H1S0l NVl1lA4AO4Ss
Special to Times II Republican.
Des aioines Jan. 4-The annual task
of trying to secure from the railroad
onpanias5 complete and exact state
8ments of their business "a fairs on which
10 base the assessment of tn e properties
for AVIATION purposes. has been entered
upon, Tor Secretary Davidson of the ex-
ecutive council started yesterday send
ing out the blanks upon which the
companies are required to make their
statements. When these blanks are
scanned by some Of the railroad Off
cials there viii be consterna ton and a.
eral counsel The blanks are SO arr
ranged this year that il they are fell
lowed closely ard honestly the execu-
tive council will have real information
before ii. The railroad officials VINO do.
the swearing for the companies are re-
squired 10 make oath thai the inforna-
.tion contained therein is accurate and
in no case made upon es'siinates. Some
of the companies have been in the ilab-
ii OF openly confessirg that the figures
they give are nniy estimates and in
other cas'eS the fact that they are mere
iy estimates IS very plain. Ore OF the
companies operating a trunk line across
Iowa has neyers reported any caiuutions
of its property. but leaves that column
ia blank. Another makes a report of
values on main line and branches 50
nearly even that no person can soubt
that estinlates are given. So With earn
|ings and other items which enter into
the report there has always been lack
Of uniformity. Each year the blanks
have been made more rigid and harder
ITO evade. but not all the companies can
or Will give the information desired.
But the blanks sent out this year are
| iron clad. Secretary Davidson believes
that better retusnss Will be received this
year than ever before.
No matter what isI done vii h the il
HIS HI lhsrs can be otangle
lfscts. All@the officials whose successors
We're elected this year. where the sue
lscesssor is a different person. namely, the
latornsy general. secretary of STATE and
lstreasurel Of state, have placed their
resi- gnations in the hands of the sever-
nor long ago.
Attorney General Reniey has rem
dared an opinion to tbs auditor of state
in regard 10 fraternal insurance socie-
lstiea 10 the effect that these companies
must comply with the insurance laws
and make reports az mutual companies
Ito the auditor. Some that have b=en es-
Ecaping before Will have to get into line.
The Law Is, not as clear as it might be in
this matter.
4 Judge NlcPherson's decision in the
| federal court yesterday in the case OF
the estate of the late S. L. Davis, of
Sioux City, against Louis A. Altona. OF
| Des Moires. sets some new precelents
lin bankruptcy matters Altona escaped
/ payment of a Judgment by voluntary
bankruptcy. He swore that he had no
assetsat all. No commissioner was sap-
/ pointed To investigates and the matte.
/ Went by default. A year afterwards he
| Went into business, in Des Moines and
/ gave az payment or his interest in a
4 business certificates Of deposits in the
First National Bank oil Boone. 1t was
4 shown that al the time he went int
\ bankruptcy he had $4,000 on deposit
] But hs. objected to the reopening of tbs
lease, claiming the limitations had run
and also that his partners who wert
4 innocsnt parties in the case, would bs
injured thereby. Judge Mcpherson
ruled that the benefits Of the bankrupt
icy law are entirely for honest iank-
rlpts and that one WHO has resorted Il
4 dishonesty can not claim the protec.
ton of the law. AS TO the statute d
4 Limitations he held that it should begir
Ito run from the time the fraud was dis
4 covered and not from the time of grant
ing the discharge in bankruptcy Th.
partners OF the defendant have no righ
II to complain. as they We're aware tina
Ishe had been discharged in bankruptc,
land must look to him for protection an,
4 not to the court. Virtually the cour
has decided that a bankruptcy case i.
A never closed, where there has been n,
commissioner appointed and investiga.
sstion. 50 long as there is a chance 10 dis
cover fraud.
4 Polk county is going to sue Webste
4 county for $40. What has set these w,
counties at loggerheads over such
small matter IS something that ha
. caused a great deal of annoyance i
4 those who are charged with the care o
the very poor in all Iowa counties. TIL
overseer of the poor in Polk county fur
flushed support to 4 pauper to the eNten
of about $40 and then discovered that b
was a resident of Webster county an
4 rad been sent to Des Moines from For
Dodge to be got rid Of. a bill was pre-
Issnted, but it has not been paid. Henc
suit will be Instituted. What is wante
!, is a ruling on a practice which is all 10
!, common in Iowa of counties or cite
!, furnishing railroad transportation t
poupers and sending them on to SON
other place. 1t is easier to ship pa,
rer than to care for one all winte
. Practically every county in the state
!, guilty of doing the same thing. In De
: Noines it is customary to send the pal
:, pers outside of the state-to Omah
: Rock Islan1 or ST. Joseph But a. gre.
p,any of the counties OF Iowa make
practice of sending tlcir paupers to u,
Moines. on the theory that they will |
: lost sight OF here md vii! be cared f,
e by comparatively rich county. TT
n suit will settle the rights os counties
such matters.