The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-10-03


record his protest in the minutes. In
this document the reformer supplied
numerous tables Of "iggers" from
which he argued as follows.
my reasons for moving the adop-
ton of the above amendments, to.wit:
an increase of per cent upon the total
assessment of the B., q. II. & N. system,
of per cent upon the c., M. & St. Paul,
and of 10 per cent upon the G. & N. w.,
and decrease of s per cent upon the
total assessment of the c., B. & Q. and
of 8 per cent upon the c., Il. l. x p,
are the inequalities exhibited in the
railroad assessments during the past
few years."
Not word about the "robbed tax.
papers" of the state. Reformer John
was still trying to help the Rock Island
by lessening its assessment and by
''socking it to" the Northwestern. He
tried to inveigle the Burlington into his
scheme by Offering it sop in the way
of a reduction, but the Burlington, for
reasons best known to Attorney Hub.
bard and Attorney Blythe, preferred to
stand together against the Rock Island,
Attorney Cummins and Reformer John.
In March, 1899, Reformer John filed
another whine in behalf of the Rock
Island. His aim still was ito equalize
the tax burdens of the railroads accord
ing to their strength as shown by the
officers in their sworn Statements" To
obtain this Equalization" in the inter.
est Of the Rock Island, Reformer ohm
said in this 1897 whine that he proposed
to bring about the result "by various
changes in the assessment of 1898. re-
ducinR some roads and increasing 9th.
ers." He said in part: +.
"Now submit that such elarinp in.
equalities in the assessment and tax
burdens imposed upon the railroads of
Iowa by the executive council this wear
cannot be right and cannot he success.
fully defended. This body, in nv
opinion, has no right or privilege given
it to assess one road at high rate and
another at a low rate"
Not word about the 4.robbed tax.
payers" Of Iowa; it was simply a ques.
ton with Reformer John of how to com.
pei the Northwestern and the Burling.
ton to "whack up" with the Rock Is.
land in the division of the thousands
upon thousands of dollars that ali these
corporations, the Rock Island included
were tilching from the people from vea,
to year in the matter of taxation,
1t was not until 1900 that Reformer
John and the Rock Island and Attor.
ney Cummins discovered that the ex.
ecutlve council had for wears been aid
ing certain railroads ito literally rot
the citizens of this state of their prop
|erty," by compelling them, the clli
zens, to pay taxes that the railroads
should have paid. Not until 1900 did
Reformer John tell the people of ''his
Il state" that, HRailroad assessments
heretofore have been a travesty upon
law and justice" and that the proceed.
ings of the executive council were dom
mated and controlled by "peftidy
trickery." Not until 1900, though he
had suffered like a martyr for six years,
did Reformer John intimate to his Low.
ing constituency that he had "witne:s.
ed strange scenes at the council board >:
Not till 1900 did he even whisper to the
robbed citizens and taxpayers of Iowa
that he thought that ii they knew the
facts "they would he perplexed to de-
termine whether sheer stupidity or
downright dishonesty dominated the
pronouncements and proceedings of the
executive council OF the state govern.
ment."
Why did Reformer John finally speak
out in 1900?
The plain fscts are that the Rock
Island, Attorney CunminS and Reform
er John conldn'! hold their own with
the Northwestern and Attorney Hub
bard and the Burlington and ATTORNEY
Blythe in the council of conspirators at
the state house; and, relying upon So.
600 to 100000 republican majority in
the state, whose votes, they think, can
not be turned against the parity bv
anything short Of an earthquake, the
Rock Island and Attorney Cummins
and Reformer John determined to SUBJ
nit their contention TO the s'dear peo
pie of Iowa" And now. therefore, the
simple, honest and holny-handed in
habitants of Iowa have for determine.
ton at the approaching election the old,
| the cplpbra feu railroad tay. f;l.h;r,, .,,.,